Page 3 - Florida Sentinel 1-16-18

Feature
Voter Rights Restoration Petition Nears 700,000
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
A State Senator released a state- ment about the drive to meet the threshold to place the voter rights restoration initiative on the ballot.
Senator Daphne Campbell
(D-Miami), said, “I am extremely pleased with the news that Floridi- ans for a Fair Democracy is ap- proaching 700,000 signatures for their ballot initiative that would au- tomatically restore voting rights for all non-violent felons who have served their sentences, completed parole or probation, and paid resti- tution.
“It is my hope that by making our democracy more representative of our state we will no longer have to contend with multi-millionaire governors who don’t understand the real issues that real people face.”
The number of signatures re- quired must represent 8% of the votes cast in the last Presidential election. The signatures must be verified with local officials before
DAPHNE CAMPBELL State Senator
they can be counted.
In order to get the Florida Voting
Rights Restoration for Felons Ini- tiative on the ballot in November, Floridians for Fair Democracy, who are spearheading the signature campaign, must obtain 766,200 valid signatures by February 1, 2018.
Desmond Meade, Chairman of Floridians for Fair Democracy, said the campaign has obtained more than 900,000 signatures, of
DESMOND MEADE Chairman, Floridians for Fair Democracy
which 691,413 have been verified by local officials.
If the required number of veri- fied signatures is obtained, the Florida Voting Rights Restoration for Felons Initiative will appear on the ballot as an initiated Constitu- tional Amendment on November 6, 2018.
If approved by voters, the meas- ure would restore the voting rights of people convicted of certain felonies who have completed all
court imposed sanctions. Individuals who have been con-
victed of murder, felony sexual of- fense, or violent crimes would not qualify.
Under the current system, voting rights are not restored unless the individual appeals to a state board.
As of 2016, there were approxi- mately 1,686,313 persons who were disenfranchised felons, or 10.43% of the state’s population. Of that number, the majority, or 88.23% had completed all requirements handed down by the courts.
Senator Campbell said, “We can no longer afford to follow a vi- sion that does not seek to serve every citizen.”
Here’s how you can sign a peti- tion: visit the website at https://www.floridiansforafaird- emocracy.com/sign-the-petition.
Once you print, complete, and sign the petition, mail it to: Florid- ians for a Fair Democracy, Inc., 3000 Gulf to Bay Blvd., Suite 503, Clearwater, FL 33759.
TUESDAY, JANUARY 16, 2018 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 3