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States deny voting rights for felons

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by Rob Rossmeissl

Monday, September 19, 2005

Last Friday, state auditors revealed 57 felons voted illegally in Madison during the November 2004 election. Initially, one might be disturbed by the faults in Wisconsin's voter-registration system that allowed such an easily preventable mistake to be made. However, upon further consideration, it becomes obvious that hiring a few more city clerks cannot solve the state's actual problem — a broad denial of minority rights.

In one of Wisconsin's most glaring injustices, felons who have yet to complete their sentences are refused the right to vote. While no federal legislation on the issue exists, most states enforce laws barring felons from voting, some extending prohibition beyond completion of a sentence.

According to www.righttovote.org approximately 4.7 million Americans are ineligible to vote because they have committed felonies. This means that one in every 43 American adults is not living in a democracy. Further, 1.8 million of those disenfranchised are African-American. Unfortunately, the theft of voting rights is very disproportional.

Perhaps the scariest aspect of felons' denied rights in the United States is the country's tendency to govern by popular trend. Despite the fact that the U.S. government was designed with checks and balances to protect minority rights, it seems that taking these rights has proven easy in the case of felons.

Because most people are not bothered if those convicted of felonies are kept from voting, the issue is simply never addressed. Essentially, Americans can be robbed of their democratic rights by a whimsical majority. The realization of Alexis de Tocqeville's grave prediction could not be more perfectly illustrated.

Although the necessity to punish felons is widely agreed upon, it is tragically ironic that this punishment often comprises revocation of the ability to help decide what constitutes a felony. To deny voting rights to anyone is the antitheses of democracy, but to use a denial of voting rights as punishment seems downright cruel.

Regardless of society's views, felons are still American citizens. Whether someone might be considered by most to be a 'bad person' is irrelevant with regards to voting rights. Democracies cannot simply revoke the rights of anyone whom the majority does not care for. By the rationale used to keep felons from voting, it seems that any violation of the law could warrant a loss of rights, but people would likely be upset if jaywalking or a traffic infraction meant they wouldn't be able to select their public officials in the next election.

The United States of America seems to believe itself to be the standard of pure democracy, and it does not hesitate to condescendingly make this known. Incredibly, a democracy that could hardly be called inclusive places itself at the forefront of an effort to democratize the world. How can a country justify its forceful promotion of "democracy" on the global stage when the rights of its own minority are non-existent?

It is the obligation of a true democracy to guarantee the right of participation to all citizens, especially those whose fates could be determined by the outcome of a vote. As soon as any one citizen's rights are confiscated, the democracy suffers. Many Americans consider their country to be a bastion of liberty and equality. In order to truly live up to its reputation, the United States must immediately take drastic action to ensure that all of its citizens have equal rights under the law.

As for Wisconsin, state officials will have to address problems far greater than the voting of 57 felons before they begin to touch the real issue.

Rob Rossmeissl (rjrossmeissl@wisc.edu) is a senior majoring in political science.

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Anonymous (September 19, 2005 @ 5:47am):

ok one quick point. If you are arrested, convicted of a felony, and sent to prison, you are the property of the state. In effect, you lose your citizenship. Why should someone who isn't even a citizen be allowed to vote? With that point right there your whole argument falls to peices and becomes just a bunch of blah blah blah.

Anonymous (September 19, 2005 @ 6:15am):

There's a simple solution to this: don't commit a felony, and you won't forfeit your right to vote. Besides, felons can apply to have their voting rights restored- something Rob briefly hinted at only in passing- so I don't even know what the issue is. Actually, I do know the issue. Rob and other liberals are worried about the erosion of their base. That's why their want every felon, illegal alien, etc. etc. voting.

Anonymous (September 19, 2005 @ 6:26am):

Tough, Rob. Felons deserved to be branded as such. ALL of their rights should be taken away. It's the Christian way. This country was founded on Christian principles. All other beliefs must be suppressed in order to accomplish this. God hates sinners. All sinners must be punished severely.

To challenge this, Rob, is to do the work of Satan. Satan wishes to destroy everything God created, including you, Rob. Repent your sins and reject that which is evil! Follow the righteous path and realize that felons are evil and therefore must be made low in the eyes of Almighty God, lest they cause our children to stumble!

Anonymous (September 19, 2005 @ 9:17am):

Thankfully, the majority of our nation's voters disagree with you.

Anonymous (September 19, 2005 @ 11:46am):

So the problem is that felons not voting reduces the vote for Democrats?

I just wonder what your attitude would be if most felons voted Republican?

Anonymous (September 19, 2005 @ 3:11pm):

I like how all of the arguments against this piece are stupid, superficial and easily demolished.

"There's a simple solution to this: don't commit a felony, and you won't forfeit your right to vote."

Or there's a simpler solution: don't deprive felons of their right to vote. That way, we don't have to worry about who is and is not a felon on election day.

<third post>

LOL -- either you're a good satirist, or a REALLY MOTHERFUCKING SCARY fundie.

"If you are arrested, convicted of a felony, and sent to prison, you are the property of the state."

JAMES MADISON WOULD LIKE A WORD:
No person shall...be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law... - Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution

I see things in there about depriving a person of life, liberty or property, but I don't see anything about depriving them of citizenship or the ability to vote -- unless you're one of those liberal activist judges who invents things in the Constiution. :)

"Thankfully, the majority of our nation's voters disagree with you."

So if the majority of our nation's (or a hypothetical state's, let's call it Mississippi) voters don't think a particular group of people (let's call them blacks) should be able to vote, by your logic, that's OK. Got it.

"I just wonder what your attitude would be if most felons voted Republican?"

As a Democrat, my attitude would be, let them vote.

So any of you wingnuts have a real argument as to why felons ought not be able to vote? Anyone? Bueller?

Anonymous (September 19, 2005 @ 6:46pm):

A point everyone misses, voting is NOT a Constitutional right, it does, however, state that the right to vote cannot be denied based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude (15th Amendment) or sex (19th). Sorry to burst your bubble, but there is nothing, Constitutionally, preventing the denial of voting privledges to felons.

As stated previously, there is a process in the state (and in almost all others) by which felons can apply to get their "right to vote" restored. You should really do a little research before you write.

Anonymous (September 19, 2005 @ 7:59pm):

"I just wonder what your attitude would be if most felons voted Republican?"

That's different! Republicans are Christians and therefore are forgiven. Democrats are condemned to eternal hellfire for the vile, immoral causes they fight for. Democrats support gay marriage, abortion, teaching evolution in schools and organic gardening.

They also eat their young.