US: Florida law barring felons from voting temporarily blocked

A ruling issued by a United States District Judge Robert Hinkle on October 12 paved a way for thousands of felons temporarily with their right to vote. Some felons were barred from voting by a Republican-backed Florida law due to to their inability to pay fines and other legal debts. Now, the earlier convicted person can cast ballots unless the state gets a higher court to change the ruling or if the federal judge upholds the constitutionality of the state law. However, as the issue still remains whether Florida lawmakers will ask the felons to first pay their outstanding fines and other legal debts before they can regain their right to vote under last year's amendment. 

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The federal judge being sympathetic

The District judge was reportedly particularly sympathetic to the arguments put forward by the lawmakers who were representing the felons and asserted that the financial requirement was akin to a poll tax. Moreover, with Florida's history of close battles, this case was not a minor one. Both the Democrat and Republican parties have sought to develop a situation at the polls which is favourable to them. With the preparations for next year's US Presidential elections currently in full swing, Florida will again be an intensely fought battleground. However, it is still unclear which party the re-enfranchised felons will support in Florida.

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'Last word with Florida Supreme Court'

Hinkle had reportedly recognised the state's authority to stipulate that fines and other legal debts by the convicted shall be paid before a jail sentence can be completed. However, the US district court judge said that the last word will belong to the Florida Supreme Court as he has only temporarily halted the previous law. In Hinkle's opinion, the felon's inability to pay raises questions which are more constitutional as 80 percent of the state's convicted personnel have unpaid financial obligations which were imposed by the courts at the time of sentencing. Nearly 1.4 million felons who have served their jail time have regained their right to vote last year. This was, however, changed when the Legislature was later controlled by the Republicans. 

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(With AP inputs)