NPR

Federal Judge Rules Florida Law Restricting Voting Rights For Felons Unconstitutional

A U.S. District judge has ruled that the law, which would have required felons to pay court-related debts before they can register to vote, discriminates against those who cannot afford the payments.
A tour bus, sponsored by the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition, pulls up to a Miami-Dade County courthouse ahead of a hearing aimed at restoring the right to vote under Florida's Amendment 4 on Nov. 8, 2019.

In a decision with potentially far-reaching implications for November's election, a federal judge in Florida has determined a state law that would have required felons to pay any outstanding court fees and fines before they can register to vote is unconstitutional.

The ruling on Sunday by U.S. District Judge Robert L. Hinkle moves hundreds of thousands of

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from NPR

NPR5 min readWorld
When Rockets Fall, Some Israeli Citizens Have Nowhere To Hide
While most buildings in Israel are required to have bomb shelters, a zoning catch-22 has left Bedouin villagers unprotected.
NPR3 min read
Renowned Painter And Pioneer Of Minimalism Frank Stella Dies At 87
Frank Stella was one of America's leading minimalist artists and a pioneer of the minimalist movement of the early 1960s. The movement challenged the idea that art was meant to be representative.
NPR2 min read
A Seafood Bounty Lures Sea Lions To S.F.'s Pier 39 In Numbers Not Seen In 15 Years
It's a popular rest stop for sea lions, but the docks at the tourist hot spot these days are unusually packed out with the slippery residents. Conservationists are buoyed by the surge in visitors.

Related Books & Audiobooks