Maryland wants to Give Felons the Vote

[SAHRAB]

JPC, the State's Dems (<--Linky)are lobbying hard to give all felons the right to vote immediately upon release:

Democratic lawmakers, who have long pushed to restore voting rights to Maryland felons, say racial politics and election-year considerations make this the year they open the polls to every ex-convict.
"This law seriously disenfranchises a large number of African-Americans," said Delegate Salima Siler Marriott, a black Baltimore Democrat who is gathering sponsors for a voting-rights restoration bill she plans to submit.

"Their disenfranchisement impacts the power of African-Americans in this state," said Mrs. Marriott, whose bill would give all felons the vote immediately upon release from prison.

If Mrs. Marriott's bill succeeds this time -- it has died in committee the past three years -- an estimated 150,000 felons would be able to cast ballots in Maryland. About 85,000 of them are black and likely Democrats, according to Justice Maryland, a penal reform group that supports felon voting rights.

These convicted murderers, rapists and armed robbers could vote as early as the Nov. 7 general election, if the law takes effect on the traditional Oct. 1 start date. And felons could sway the results.

The Maryland DemocRATs are so hell-bent on getting Bob Ehrlich out of office, and most importantly keeping a black Republican, Michael Steele, (who's edging ahead <--Linky ) out of the Senate that their now openly courting the ex-felon vote.

If this bill passes wait to see the video of DemocRATs loading up the buses at the halfway houses and addiction clinics across the state to make sure their voters get to the polls.

I also wouldn't be surprised if DemocRATs were updating their mailing lists and targeting voter turnout operations by surfing those "Megan's law" databases that tell you where registered sex offenders live.

 

[bcp]

Um,, wouldnt their criminal activities be what disinfranchised them in the first place?

I fail to see how this can be a racial thing.

I do however see how it can be a sorry attempt by the dems to up their numbers in the polls.


the dems are a filthy bunch of animals are they not?


Exclusion:
I only speak of the dems that are currently in office, I realize that the statement can not hold true for all democrats that are registered, many democrats are productive law abiding citizens and should be given their due respect regardless of the political confusion.

 

[SAHRAB]

...many democrats are productive law abiding citizens and should be given their due respect regardless of the political confusion.

 

[blacklabman]

Next the Democrats will want to return their right to own firearms. Then when these ex-convicts commit a crime using that firearm, the Democrats will use this as ammunition to further restrict us honest citizens from having them.

Felons should never be permitted to vote, period.

 

[willie]

After they have paid their price to society, what is the reason of withholding the right to vote?

 

[MMDad]

After they have paid their price to society, what is the reason of withholding the right to vote?

Part of their "price" to society is that they have given up their right to vote. How do we draw the line between people who deserve to vote and those who don't? Since we can't do it based on education or intelligence, we can base it on wether or not someone has commited a serious crime. If it was a minor crime, it would be a misdemeanor. If it rises to the level of being a felony, that person has shown that they do not have the moral or ethical fiber to be a responsible member of society, and therefore cannot be a responsible voter.

If you can't do the time, don't do the crime.

 

[SamSpade]

After they have paid their price to society, what is the reason of withholding the right to vote?

You're right - why do we hold such things against sex offenders, after they've paid their debt to society?

 

[Vince]

Next the Democrats will want to return their right to own firearms. Then when these ex-convicts commit a crime using that firearm, the Democrats will use this as ammunition to further restrict us honest citizens from having them.

Felons should never be permitted to vote, period.

 

[Pushrod]

I don't know, there are so many things that are felonys now that I can't say this should hold true for all ex-felons. Maybe only violent felons and sexual felonies should be further punished this way.

 

[Cletus_Vandam]

After they have paid their price to society, what is the reason of withholding the right to vote?

Have to disagree with you 100% here. Once you have been convicted of a felony, or any crime for that matter, you continue to pay some price for the rest of your life. The murder, rape, or whatever hayness crime the was committed usually carries some type of "life" changing effect on the victim.

More so then what I say above, how and who would distinguish between what felon gets to vote and what one doesn't? Murder one person, do your 25-years [to life].... which translates to what 7-years on good behaviour; sure you can vote when you get out... But kill three, four, five... Oh no you can't vote!

It's all BS. The Dems believe that they can land the minority vote... It will just be a matter of time before they lobby to allow the illegal aliens a vote.

 

[SamSpade]

I don't know, there are so many things that are felonys now that I can't say this should hold true for all ex-felons. Maybe only violent felons and sexual felonies should be further punished this way.

Only ten states permanently withhold the right for felons to vote. Several give it back outright, a few have a waiting period.

What's ironic is that the 14th Amendment - which is where the states derive their law to disenfranchise felons - was written to encourage states to extend voting privileges to newly freed slaves.

 

[river rat]

If this works out maybe Marion Berry will be our next president.
Enuff said.
Convicted felons should lose the right to vote, no ifs,ands, or buts.

 

[ylexot]

After they have paid their price to society, what is the reason of withholding the right to vote?

They have demonstrated a lack of respect for the rule of law by committing a crime. It is unwise to allow those that do not respect the rule of law to play a part in it's creation/maintenance.

 

[willie]

Have to disagree with you 100% here. Once you have been convicted of a felony, or any crime for that matter, you continue to pay some price for the rest of your life.

It was a question. There are a lot of 'felonies' that a 17 yr. old could commit and I'm not sure that it really makes sense. My opinion, that you can disagree with, is that most older lawbreakers would lean heavily toward the liberal side for selfish reasons so I don't want them to vote. Even if I agree with preventing their vote, is it justice?

 

[Ken King]

Maryland is already allowing for the restoration of voting rights for felons. Why should the law get changed to allow for immediate restoration of the right?

This is how the law reads now:
(a) Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, an individual may become registered to vote if the individual:
(1) is a citizen of the United States;
(2) is at least 18 years old or will be 18 years old on or before the day of the next succeeding general or special election;
(3) is a resident of the State as of the day the individual seeks to register; and
(4) registers pursuant to this title.
(b) An individual is not qualified to be a registered voter if the individual:
(1) has been convicted of theft or other infamous crime, unless the individual:
(i) has been pardoned; or
(ii) 1. in connection with a first conviction, has completed the court-ordered sentence imposed for the conviction, including probation, parole, community service, restitutions, and fines; or
2. in connection with a subsequent conviction, has completed the court-ordered sentence imposed for the conviction, including probation, parole, community service, restitutions, and fines, and at least 3 years have elapsed since the completion of the court-ordered sentence imposed for the conviction, including probation, parole, community service, restitutions, and fines;
(2) is under guardianship for mental disability; or
(3) has been convicted of buying or selling votes.
(c) Notwithstanding subsection (b) of this section, an individual is not qualified to be a registered voter if the individual has been convicted of a second or subsequent crime of violence, as defined in § 14-101 of the Criminal Law Article.

And as long as a person doesn't commit subesquent "crimes of violence" then they can have their right restored 3 years after completing their sentence.

Crimes of violence are:
(1) abduction;
(2) arson in the first degree;
(3) kidnapping;
(4) manslaughter, except involuntary manslaughter;
(5) mayhem;
(6) maiming, as previously proscribed under former Article 27, §§ 385 and 386 of the Code;
(7) murder;
(8) rape;
(9) robbery under § 3-402 or § 3-403 of this article;
(10) carjacking;
(11) armed carjacking;
(12) sexual offense in the first degree;
(13) sexual offense in the second degree;
(14) use of a handgun in the commission of a felony or other crime of violence;
(15) an attempt to commit any of the crimes described in items (1) through (14) of this subsection;
(16) assault in the first degree;
(17) assault with intent to murder;
(18) assault with intent to rape;
(19) assault with intent to rob;
(20) assault with intent to commit a sexual offense in the first degree; and
(21) assault with intent to commit a sexual offense in the second degree.


Matter of fact I don't think a murderer should ever get their rights restored, what more do those proposing this need or want?

 

[SamSpade]

How would you like it if a bunch of ex-felons could vote on the next sheriff or judge?

 

[vraiblonde]

And as long as a person doesn't commit subesquent "crimes of violence" then they can have their right restored 3 years after completing their sentence.

That seems fair enough to me.

The Democrats are getting desperate - notice when they were in power, nobody said a word about this? But the second they lost their political power, all of a sudden they need the felon vote.

That speaks volumes to me.

 

[2ndAmendment]

That seems fair enough to me.

The Democrats are getting desperate - notice when they were in power, nobody said a word about this? But the second they lost their political power, all of a sudden they need the felon vote.

That speaks volumes to me.

Now there is why they want the law changed.

restored 3 years after completing their sentence.

It does not say "being released". The sentence is not completed until all time is served including those that are paroled until their parole time is over as I understand it.