In my mind, a felony is a felony. If they wanted to vote, they shouldn’t have committed the crime.

Sorry, that is one of the things you surrender when you choose a life of crime….

Felons should be able to vote after their sentence is served or “maxed out”. They should not be able to vote before that. In KY, where I was a Parole Officer, a convicted felon could apply for Civil Rights restoration after his sentence was completed. It was a simple process, a form to be filed with $2.00 fee. Most felons never asked for their voting rights to be reinstated because most of them didn’t vote in the first place and were not even registered.

Whats next? Drop the sentence because they are sorry? I’m not sorry at all for the loss of rights. They commit crimes and then wonder why they lose rights. It just shows how stupid they are in the first place. Even I knew that you lose your right to vote when you commit a felony. Dont do the crime in the first plkace, and you won’t have to worry about any punishment.
Pakinpastor
Missouri

Once a criminal has paid his/her “debt to society” their voting rights should be restored.

I understand many peoples views of felons, and I share their hate for crime. I myself was convicted of a felony 13 years ago. I didn’t mean to hurt anyone, and I didn’t want to hurt anyone, but after having a few beers after work I got into a car, and fell asleep at the wheel. I crossed over a center line, and ran into another car. It forever changed many peoples lives. I hate myself for what I have done. I completed all that the system required me to do. I will forever pay for the crime in my mind, and in my heart! I wish I could wave a magic wand, and make that day go away. and with that said I cant vote, but I wish I could!

I agree John voting is a priveledge for those in good standing

Why should law-abiding people be subjected to this kind of drivel. They were convicted, the were sentenced, they went to jail! Tough! You did the crime, you lose your rights. Period. If you don’t like it, go to France! Please! I can’t stand those who slam America about everything. Go away if you find this society too tough. Find a place where you and all your loser friends can enjoy – well, what would you enjoy. Certainly not the freedoms you still have here, the right to express your opinion. But NOT vote, when you are a convicted felon. That’s the law. You chose not to follow the law. You can’t have it both ways. You made the decision to be unlawful. With unlawfulness, comes consequences. Yep, should have thought that through before starting out on the road toward jail.

What type of crime should result in an inability to vote? Who decides who shall have this right taken away? Why are felons targeted and not those convicted of misdemeanor crimes?
I believe that individuals who have been convicted of felonies should be able to vote. A felony stays with someone their entire life and there is enough stigma and loss of privilege attached with the label “Ex-Con” without taking away ones right to vote. I don’t see that “Ex-Cons” are any less capable of voting than someone who has no criminal record.

Hell’s bells, just let everyone vote. With ACORN and their ilk registering people willy nilly, a person who does everything according to the book is such a fool. BUT, I am still going to vote.
This may be the last time I will be able to vote in a free election in these 59 states. Because if Obama wins, we get a Dem. Congress, and he appoints the likes of Hilbilly to the SCOTUS, we will live in another form of government called Socialism, Communism, or a dictatorship. Take your choice.

Bottom line — when someone is convicted of a felony it means they have chosen to operate in direct violation of the laws of the society in which they live — the mutually agreed upon strictures of behavior. If you’re one who operates against the rules of society, you have shown you don’t respect the rules of that society and forfeit the right to participate in the making of those rules. If someone’s a rapist, I see no value in their views on whether rape should be made legal. Nor do I see value in the views of a convicted drunk driver that drunk driving should be legal.

I think what people really can’t come to terms with are consequences. Sometimes, there are irrefutable consequences. Non-negotiable, irrevocable, out and out consequences for our actions. Period. In today’s society, we want to negotiate everything. It’s all up for debate and if I can change your mind, then I’m off the hook. Well, some things have consequences.

Sometimes there are natural consequences to an action. A child runs on the pavement, which you know you’ve told them not to do (for their own good). What happens? They fall down and scrape their knee. Natural consequence of disobedience. If the parent is not around to punish the child for disobedience, they have still suffered the natural consequence. Someone who has unprotected sex runs the risk of the non-negotiable consequence of getting HIV. The disease doesn’t care if you didn’t mean for it to happen. It doesn’t negotiate.

Some time there are prescribed consequences. We like to call them laws. If someone is convicted, not just accused, but convicted of a felony and the consequence is that they can’t vote; then they can’t vote. That’s is the consequence of their action.

People that are convicted of a crime should lose their privilege to vote. They broke our laws andhave bee convicted of crimes that required them to serve time.

Leave it alone. The fact that you lose the privilege to vote should be a deterrent to any felony.

No, absolutely not! They lost their right when they chose to commit the crime.

Should Ex-Cons be Cleared and Have the Chance to Vote?
Absolutely NOT!

if having a felony removes your right to vote should it not also remove your right to write and or vote on laws, or serve your country. if that is the case ten we should purge the military, and the senate ,congress and any other branches of the government of all felons. i think that would help send the message that if your are flawed in your decision making process to the point that you commit a felony. you have lost all value to society

As a right wing republic felons have every right to vote once they have finished their sentence. Why should people have their constitutional rights taken away?

Do you really want child molesters to vote on laws that prohibit them from doing the evil that sent them to prison? How about murderers? how about violent offenders??

If you want them to influence legislation then just give them the right to vote. That is insane and that is what Obama is doing as we speak. He is against all legislation that prohibits these people from voting as soon as they walk out the prison gate.

Obama wants their votes and cares nothing about you or your families.

May God help us in this election Nov. 4th.

What has happened to our country? When did people start thinking that they werent responsible for their actions? They are always trying to justify why they did something and then try to blame someone else. We have laws for a reason! If you make the choice to break the law, then you are responsible for the consequences! You commit a felony, then you loose your right to vote. Period end of discussion

Convicted felons should forfeit the right to vote for life. The only time this would change, would be the conviction being thrown out or overturned. This is one that cannot change from criminal to “history” like Ayers in Chicago.

Convicted felons loose the right to vote for life. Only an overturned conviction should reinstate the vote. Time cannot heal this one like some believe it does for Ayers.

voting is not a privelege it is a right. Once you serve your time you are a citizen afaik and all your rights should be returned. Using the mentality I have seen here by a few people criminals that have served their time should not get hfir rights back. Technicaly I wish someone would point out where it says that anybody should lose their rights for any reason.

NO, NO…If you are a felon you should lose your right to vote until you have served your time and gone through the system to get your rights back. Which by the way was how our system was set up by our founding fathers some time ago. If they are a 2nd offender I think they should lose the right to vote for ever. MY TAX PAYING DOLLARS GO TO HOUSE, FEED, CLOTH, AND EDUCATE FELONS IN THIS COUNTRY AND I DO NOT AGREE WITH THAT. MAYBE IF WE DIDN’T WIPE THEIR BUTTS THEY WOULD STOP COMMITTING CRIMES.

Quick answer is no to restore an ex-cons right to vote. What would be the standards to follow to restore that right? What if your daughter was sexually assaulted and died from the attack? How would you feel if that person got his or her right to vote back? It is not as easy as to forgive cause some will not be able to forget. Who and how would there be a determination to restore that right? Could the right be bought back? It is far more complicated that it sounds. However, maybe restoring the right to vote would be a factor in the ex-cons rehabilitation.

In a word… NO.

They should not have right to vote! Price to pay for life of crime!

ABSOLUTELY NOT!! Forfeiture of the right to vote is one of the things that go along with a FELONY CONVICTION!!!

If you can’t pull the time, don’t do the crime!

Again, why is this an issue? Only because certain groups want to rack up as many votes as possible for thier candidate. So find a group of people who are easily swayed to your philosophy and get them to vote!!!

Sound familiar, can anyone say ACORN???

Felons are law breakers. Why would you want a law breaker to decide what the laws should be?
Pedophiles (who haven’t yet been prosecuted) are already banding together to loosen their state laws for molesting children.
Get real. Ever heard of repeat offenders? What, just because you do your time, you’re a saint? HA!

After they pay their debt to society, sure.

Sounds like more potential Obama supporters.
It is not really that hard to not be a felon.

Sounds like more Obama supporters.
It really is not that hard to not be a felon.

Convicted felons, who have completed their sentences, have been rehabilitated and have completed an application for Civil Rights Restoration, should be allowed to vote. Convicted felons should not be allowed to vote until the completion of their sentences.

I was convicted of a drug felony almost 10 years ago. I have been clean and sober since then. I have turned my life around because of my arrest, which if I had not got busted I would probably be dead right now. I got a job with the federal government and have been there 6 years, I have been baptized, married, and my wife had my first baby 2 years ago. Alot of awesome things have happened to me since that dreadful night almost 10 years ago. I didnt even know I could vote until I asked a lawyer a couple weeks ago. I am now registered(for the first time) and I am definately voting for McCain…..

After reading these comments it is clear that most of you have forgotten that our founding fathers were all convicted criminals under the British Empire??!! And yet, look at what they accomplished. God is the judge of humanity and when a person has paid their debt to society, who are you to judge whether their repentence is sincere. After regaining their priveledge to vote through the legal process, a person who is taxed on their income has every right to voice their opinion.

hi, i am a convicted felon in ohio, who, upon completion of my sentence and probation has been restored my RIGHT to VOTE. i payed my debt to society and anyone who thinks i should not be able to vote….. I DID MY TIME !!!!!!!! Most , if not all of YOU break laws on a daily basis… speeding, cheating on taxes, cheating on spouse , and a host of other crimes… you simply have not been caught as i was…. so , get of your high horse and quit judging me (felons who have done there time). Unlerss my sentence specifically said as part of my punihment that i would lose my voteing rights for life…. I PAYED the price. period, end of story.

where is my comment????

I don’t believe felons should be allowed to vote! They were not responsible enough to make the right choices in thier life. They do not deserve the privelige of voting.

mmmmmmmmmmmmm three posts and none have shown up yet….. where did they go?

Yes, if they’re off parole, have a history of stayin’ out of trouble, workin’ and supporting themselves and payin’ taxes (even better if they’ve opened a business or bought a home). To disagree is disenfranchising and unAmerican. Anyone can have their life changed and begin anew if they choose to.

Once you commit a felon you lose the right to vote, period. Also if you dont pay taxes you should not be allowed to vote and I think there should be legislation enacted to keep people who milk the system from voting, ya know like every single person voting democratic this year. Worthless Liberal vampires.

This is only an issue because Democrats are trying to get anyone they can to vote for the chosen one. Where were people talking about this 4 years ago? It only being used becasue there is a large black population that are felons that they desire to tap in order to secure a socialist state. If Obama wasnt running, you would not even know this was an issue.

Voting is a privledge for trust worthy people.
Look what we have running our government. Maybe their voting privledges should have been taken away. There are some brillent minds sitting in cells. To bad they chose the wrong road to walk. I am sure some of them could run the country much better than what we have, but laws are laws. You commit the crime, you pay the time. To bad this doesn’t hold true for politicians.

let’s see……..hmmmmm………NO!, HELL NO!

they committed the crime. If you polled felons and asked them who they wanted to be able to vote for it would no doubt be obama. Doesn’t that make the non-felons wonder who they are voting for?

Let’s see, obamas supporters are…
ex felons
farakhan and the nation of islam think he is the messiah
hamas sent money to his campaign
european leaders
iran has said they prefer obama
majority of the mindless idiots that live in hollywood and have no ties to reallity

what else do you need to know? if you are undecided at this point, you need help. if you consider yourself a normal American that isn’t into mass slaughter and tax funded abortions, taking money from those who earned it to give it away to those that didn’t, screwing up our health care system, silencing the freedom of speech, nationalizing anything that matters, destroying your retirement plans, making it a crime to own guns, and eliminating all checks and balances in government, then by all means vote for McCain.

Look at the reallity here. if McCain wins, he can’t really do anything because the congress is still controlled by dems. So it is a win win for everyone.

No theyshould not be able to vote plain and simple

If a felon has done his/her time and pay for his/her crime, then yes he/she should be able to vote. If they have not done their time or pay for their crime then no they should not be able to vote.

They are still citizens, pay taxes and should have a voice in who represents them. My son was convicted when he was 18 years old, did two years in a state prison and has been out for six years. He has the stigma of a convicted felon, can’t rent or lease an apartment on his own because of the felony. He owns his own business and is doing very well, employees several workers and recognized as a Best business. He made a mistake when he was very young, paid his debt to society, and has become a productive citizen, why shouldn’t he be allowed to vote?

Convicted felons should lose their right to vote for life.

duh i happen to be a conservative who is voting m/p and most of you here should observe the old saying “its better to let people think you are a moron than to open your mouth and prove it”

You choose the crime, you choose the consequences. No they should not be able to vote

I’m an ex-con, tho’ in Florida. Showed my papers to the right people and got my voting rights returned. As for Alabama, sorry, but that state has always been slow. Except maybe in sports.

Felons, like my ex-wife (convicted of various financial crimes) have been made well aware for many years that a felony conviction will result in the termination of voting rights. Of course this is IF they paid any attention in public school. having felons vote is like having a company doing business with a city and the owner of that company is the Mayor of that same city (City of Denton, TX)..it is a conflict of interest. and that is what the founding fathers were rightly thinking when they thought of this principle. only those in good standing should be allowed to vote. voting is BOTH a right AND a privilege…and privileges CAN AND SHOULD BE REMOVED.

How may times will they be forgiven?

My wife was recently assualted by someone that was arrested 10 times in 1 year. After 5 months he is back on the streets. She, unfotunately, have over $12,000 in medical bills and a left wrist that was fractured and is no longer as good as it used to be. Her nose that was broken was fixed, but she is told she will need further surgery so she can breatht correctly.

The Liberals all feel sorry for the criminal. To H$$L with the victim. I say losing the vote is the least we should do with them. THREE STRIKES YOUR OUT. And by OUT I don’t mean in prison, where they can escape, for life. I mean a $1 bullet to the head.

I tried earlier to send a detailed response to the hateful and uneducated responses set forth on your site regarding an ex-cons right or ability to vote – and while getting back to the site, I was reminded of the fact that it was a FOXNews site – so the disconnection could have been from from my dial-up connection itself, my irresponsible 6 month old cat or the black helicopters circling above my house since I mentioned the Bible, guns and lack of education in one sentence. I do not want to repeat the beginning of the prior message or fail to point out my distain for the Christian Right – so, I will just say “READ THE WORDS YOU HOLD DEAR AND SPEW WHEN YOUR OPINIONS ARE CRITICIZED.” “Father, forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.” “Debtors,” unless you’re Republicans under the bailout, you’re SOL and probably will be deleted from the other versions of the prayer; and, as far as “daily bread,” I’m pretty sure that has become “weekly bread” under the Bush Doctrine. I made a terrible error (trusting a Jewish lawyer – I put that in so the angry Christians would not think I had a Jewish agenda; I am not a big fan of the Muslims’ rather polarized view of the world either) and I have paid for that error financially and emotionally for over ten years now. If I were a priest in a parish that had political pull, I could have twiddled little boys’ piddles and done no time for my failure to comport to community standards – and, unfortunately, still be doing that despicable thing they have been paying for during the last twenty years. I did something I paid for (I really paid for it – no “victim” was harmed and I lost my career, children, self-respect, etc) and I might be denied the vote? I smell tea in the bay

VOTING IS A PRIVILEGE AND BEFORE YOU COMMIT THE CRIME…BE SURE AND VOTE BECAUSE AFTER THE CRIME THE PRIVILEGE SHOULD NOT BE THERE FOR THE CRIMINAL

Hi, I am from Illinois, from a Chicago suburb to be exact. I did sign up to be a voter, and they sent my voter’s registration card not even 2 weeks later. So, that leads me to believe they did not check my background because of the quickness of receiving my voter’s card. However, does anyone know if I can vote? I can’t seem to find anything, (surfing the web), on whether I can vote or not in Illinois. i don’t think they turn me away from the polls but later do they check my criminal history? I have a few felonies on my record, mainly stemming from my drug habit..(but none in the last 4 years due to my 4 year sobriety). If anyone can let me know what happens, do they turn you away at the polls, god, how embarrassing would that be!! Or just don’t count your vote. I don’t want to waste my time standing in these lonnnnnggg poll lines to vote only to have it not count. How if anyone can point me in the right direction to find out this info that would be great! Thanks in advance for any help in this matter!
Molly