Ah, Florida …
Florida voters managed to pull off a coup in the 2018 election, passing by a nearly a 2-1 majority Amendment 4 to the state constitution, saying that felons would have their voting rights restored as soon as they completed their sentence.
It was a vote decision that was widely feared by the GOP, because it would potentially re-enfranchise 1.4 million Floridians, and the GOP assumes that a majority of them will vote for Democrats, which is enough to tip the very narrow balance of partisan power in Florida away from the Republicans.
So, of course, they’re gutting the law.
“But, Dave,” you might say, “this is a state constitutional amendment — how can they override that?” Great question!
Answer: by deciding that the amendment actually needs enacting legislation, and by crafting that legislation to say that you can’t have your franchise back until you’ve fully paid all the thousands of dollars of fees related to your trial, your court time, your prison time, your prison medical care, all sorts of fees that the state of Florida has imposed to (a) pay for a justice system without taxing the taxpayers, and (b) saddle ex-cons with debts they cannot pay off.
As a result it’s estimated that at least half, if not more, of those disenfranchised felons that the majority of Floridians thought should be re-enfranchised … will remain disenfranchised.
“But, Dave,” you might say, “how can they get away with that?” Another great question.
It’s easy.
The GOP has the majority of both houses of the state legislature.
The GOP has the governorship (through a headline-narrow margin in 2018).
The GOP, thanks to the actions of that governor, now have a 6-1 lock on the state supreme court, too.
The “enacting legislation” is thus expected to be passed, signed, and be immune to state court challenge.
See, it’s easy to keep power and defy the will of the voters, if you know how and don’t mind being shameless about it.
Do you want to know more? Florida Republicans are sabotaging Amendment 4.