raduv1
Outstanding Member
On a more serious note than my previous post .
On May 24, U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle had thrown out the financial barrier to reenfranchisement, describing the fines as a “pay-to-vote system.” But the 6-4 decision from the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals stands to leave at least 774,000 people across Florida subject to a law evocative of Jim Crow–era policy.
Literally stealing the election...Most people affected by Amendment 4 are too poor to pay the fines and a broken court system further muddies the process. Court records are not straightforward, making it difficult for the formerly incarcerated to know if they’ve settled their debts or how much they even owe. The four dissenting judges wrote that the system “ultimately throws up its hands and denies citizens their ability to vote because the State can’t figure out the outstanding balances it is requiring those citizens to pay.” And anyone who inaccurately swears that they have no remaining court debt could face jail time—despite the strong possibility that the claim was a mistake.
The reversal being handed down during a particularly devastating economic period, further complicates how this could play out. Millions nationwide have lost their jobs during the coronavirus pandemic and in Florida the unemployment rate has remained relatively elevated. At the onset of the pandemic financial strain, twice as many Black Floridians were unemployed.
Click to shrink...