Devina Douglas, Attorney at Law (707) 408-3529
  • Home
  • Profile
  • Practice Areas
    • DUI
    • Assault Crimes
    • Theft Crimes
    • Domestic Violence
    • Drug Crimes
    • Sex Crimes
    • Homicide
    • Restraining Order-related >
      • Domestic Violence Restraining Orders
      • Other Types of Protective Orders
      • If You Are Served With A Protective Order
      • Resources for Victims of Domestic Violence
  • Contact
  • Results
  • Other information
    • Devina's Blog
    • Cal. Fish and Game Updates
    • Commonly-Requested Documents >
      • Local Ordinances
    • Reference Links
  • Disclaimer
  • SoCo and COVID

Giving Felons the Right to Vote

11/1/2019

 
​California may soon restore the voting rights of approximately 50,000 of its citizens, felons.
 
Currently, Only Maine and Vermont allow felons to vote while in custody in state prisons related to their sentence.  Massachusetts used to…  However, the law was changed after it was discovered that inmates formed a political action committee to influence their state representatives.
 
The California Constitution states that “The Legislature shall prohibit improper practices that affect elections and shall provide for the disqualification of electors while mentally incompetent or imprisoned or on parole for the conviction of a felony.” However, in 1976, the state amended the constitution, restoring voting rights to felons if the felon was not still “imprisoned or on parole.” …But this change in the law was not quite so clear cut, especially after California passed its 2011 Realignment Act, which effectively moved a substantial number of low-level offenders out of state prisons to county jails as a way to address overcrowding. Were felons being housed in county jails “imprisoned”?
 
“If you look at the state constitution, you would have a hard time believing that jails and prisons aren’t the same intent,” noted Hans von Spakovsky, a senior legal fellow at The Heritage Foundation who specializes in election-related issues.  However, one must wonder if this change in the law was politically motivated. “Social science shows that felons overwhelmingly vote Democrat,” von Spakovsky said.
 
California Attorney General Kamala Harris supported the bill, stating “The right to vote is fundamental to our democracy and society, and yet for too long we have stripped certain individuals of that right.” Other proponents believe that by restoring a felon’s ability to vote, the felon will be less likely to reoffend because they are more connected to their community. The ACLU believes the change in law “would address the history of racial oppression behind California’s felony disenfranchisement laws. Three of every four men leaving California prisons are either African American, Latino, or Asian American. Black Americans are four times more likely to experience felony disenfranchisement than are white Americans.” 

    Author

    Devina strives to make information relevant to the lives of her clients easily accessible. 

    Archives

    February 2023
    January 2023
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    August 2020
    June 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    November 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    January 2017

    Categories

    All
    DMV Related
    Domestic Violence
    Drugs
    DUI
    General Criminal Defense
    Gun Rights
    Marijuana Related
    Marijuana-Related
    SCOTUS News
    Weird News

    RSS Feed

Proudly serving Sonoma, Marin, Napa, Mendocino and Lake Counties (and occasionally venturing as far as Yolo, Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties).
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Proudly powered by Weebly

​This website is for informational purposes only and does not provide legal advice. Do not act or refrain from acting based on anything you read on this site. Using this site or communicating with the Law Office of Devina Douglas through this site does not form an attorney/client relationship. This site is legal advertising. Please review the full disclaimer for more information. (LINK TO FULL DISCLAIMER PAGE)
  • Home
  • Profile
  • Practice Areas
    • DUI
    • Assault Crimes
    • Theft Crimes
    • Domestic Violence
    • Drug Crimes
    • Sex Crimes
    • Homicide
    • Restraining Order-related >
      • Domestic Violence Restraining Orders
      • Other Types of Protective Orders
      • If You Are Served With A Protective Order
      • Resources for Victims of Domestic Violence
  • Contact
  • Results
  • Other information
    • Devina's Blog
    • Cal. Fish and Game Updates
    • Commonly-Requested Documents >
      • Local Ordinances
    • Reference Links
  • Disclaimer
  • SoCo and COVID