Republican attempts to suppress the voting rights of anyone who may be against them have become more and more prevalent in recent years. Luckily, courts have been stepping in to hit them with a “Nah.”
The Hill reports that an 11th Circuit U.S Appeals Court has ruled in favor of an injunction filed on behalf of ex-felons. In the 2018 midterms, 65 percent of Florida voters went in favor of an amendment to the state’s constitution that would allow 1.4 million felons to vote after being released from prison.
Florida Republicans and Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) weren’t having that though and signed into law a bill that required former convicts to pay off any fines, fees or restitution they may have before having their voting rights restored. A panel of three judges ruled that the law violated the Equal Protection Clause as it prevents felons from voting simply based on their personal wealth. The court stated, “It is undeniable that the [law’s legal financial obligation] requirement punishes those who cannot pay more harshly than those who can.”
I have to admit, trying to implement what is essentially a poll tax was a bold move. Even for this particularly inept group of Republicans. The thing that’s always intrigued me over these attempts at voter suppression is that it hints at a certain level of self-awareness within the Republican party. They understand their policies and ideas are generally unpopular yet instead of doing better they simply decide to cheat. When it comes time to vote, I’m pretty sure those 1.4 million are going to remember which party tried to limit their ability to do so.