The Sentencing Project: Disenfranchisement News & Updates - 10/18/07

National: Resolution Supports Voting While on Community Supervision The American Probation and Parole Association (APPA) approved a resolution in support of restoring voting rights upon completion of sentence including no loss of voting rights while on community supervision. The resolution was passed by APPA's Board of Directors last month. "Voting is an integral part of community participation in democratic societies and is one of vital importance in building truly representative governments," the APPA stated in a release. "When large sectors of the population are prevented from voting, a democracy cannot function as it should." Wisconsin: Challenge Posed to Policymakers, Residents The Capital Times in Wisconsin published a letter to the editor in support of Assembly Bill 390, which would give individuals the right to vote upon completion of sentence. The author of the letter, Greg Shiver, wrote: "If the goal is to rehabilitate offenders and integrate them back in to the community, giving them the right to vote is essential. What better way to tell someone that they are part of the community? By giving felons the right to vote we are promoting public safety." Mr. Shiver continued that an estimated 62,342 Wisconsin citizens with felony convictions are banned from voting - 1.5 percent of the voting population. International: 'Unlike the U.S.,' Australia Would 'Never' Disenfranchise Because of Past Convictions The Honorable Justice Michael Kirby, a member of the Australian High Court whose vote was in the majority in striking down legislation stripping inmates of voting rights in the recent Roach v. Electoral Commissioner, gave the address during the conferral of degrees at Southern Cross University in New South Wales September 29. The theme of Justice Kirby's address dealt primarily with the August decision which overturned legislation stripping all inmates of voting rights. In his speech, Kirby stated: "Some, of course, will say that we should not worry about prisoners. Take away their civil rights. Throw away the key. We all know the usual suspects who are of this persuasion. However, it has not been the temperate tradition of Australia. Ours is a land made up, largely, of immigrants without sharp class distinctions. Many of our earliest settlers were convicts. They were people who served their time. Prisoners must be able to "live it down." And as for those serving shorter sentences, they remain entitled to choose their rulers. It remains an inclusive society. Unlike the United States, it would never tolerate excluding millions (or thousands) of citizens from the vote because of past convictions ... The Australian Constitution expressly provides that a person may be elected to serve in Parliament although sentenced to imprisonment for less than one year. If a member of Parliament, with those higher duties, could serve despite such a sentence, it would be paradoxical to exclude altogether prisoners with their much less onerous obligations of being voters." The 4-2 decision, however upheld a 2004 law denying the vote to inmates jailed for more than three years. As a result, only 8,000 of the country's 20,000 sentenced prisoners can vote in the federal election scheduled later this year. - - - - - - 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