The Sentencing Project: Disenfranchisement News & Updates - 5/24/07

Florida: Still Work to Do Though Gov. Charlie Crist's Clemency Board reinstated voting rights to non-violent offenders last month, the task is "not complete," Mark Schlakman wrote in the Orlando Sentinel. Schlakman's op-ed pointed to a letter Sen. Al Lawson (D-Tallahassee) addressed to Gov. Crist asking for his legislative action "to remove what appears to be a major obstacle to more substantial rights restoration reform by passing a bill to implement [former Gov. Jeb Bush's] Ex-Offender Task Force recommendations to separate employment and licensing from rights restoration." Schlakman said state agencies and boards are "well positioned" to set up eligibility requirements to facilitate job placement for formerly incarcerated individuals and address public safety concerns. "Once employment eligibility issues are redirected and properly addressed, the path to more comprehensive rights restoration reform would no longer be onerous," Schlakman stated. Wisconsin: Individuals on Parole and Probation Charged with Vote Fraud The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel is diligently covering the stories of those who have been charged with voter fraud as a result of voting while on probation, parole or extended state supervision. These individuals include a 43-year-old grandmother whose first vote in the 2004 presidential election was deemed fraudulent, and who received a two-year prison sentence. In Wisconsin, citizens are banned from voting until probation and parole sentences have been completed. The cases were brought up in the aftermath of the close presidential election in 2004, according to the Journal Sentinel. In 2005, Republican officials challenged the legitimacy of 5,600 addresses in the state. Ultimately, 14 cases were brought; six were dismissed before trial and five resulted in convictions to date. The Journal Sentinel also reported that State Rep. Joe Parisi (D- Madison) proposed this week to change state law to re-enfranchise citizens after release from prison or jail. "One of our biggest challenges in corrections is reducing recidivism, and one of the most important aspects of this process is reintegrating a person back into mainstream society after they leave prison," Parisi said in a statement. "Restoring a person's voting rights is one tool we can use to help us reach that goal." For more coverage, see the Journal Sentinel. - - - - - - Help The Sentencing Project continue to bring you news and updates on disenfranchisement! Make a contribution today. Contact Information: Email: [email protected] web: http://www.sentencingproject.org