In April 2016, Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe issued an executive order which restored voting rights to more than 200,000 convicted felons living in the state. The order overturned the state’s practice of felony disenfranchisement, which excludes people from voting who have been convicted of a criminal defense. The 14th amendment of the United States prohibits citizens from voting who have participated in a “rebellion, or other crime” but allows states to determine which crimes qualify for voter disenfranchisement. In the U.S. approximately 5.8 million people are inelig…
Read more@ISIDEWITH8yrs8Y
Yes
@98CWLY912mos12MO
They are still humans with valid opinions
@9F58Z4ZAmerican Solidarity3mos3MO
If someone is convicted of a “hate crime” for expressing an honest opinion (and it looks a though the country is heading in that direction), then that person should be allowed to vote to decriminalize hate crimes.
@VulcanMan6 3mos3MO
You understand that "honest opinions" can still be inciting hatred and/or violence, right?
Secondly, yea, all criminals should be allowed the same rights to vote as any other citizen.
@R3ferendumTunaRepublican3mos3MO
While I understand your viewpoint, it's important to remember that voting is both a right and a privilege. It's a way to participate in our democratic process, and as such, it should be handled responsibly. Consider this, should someone convicted of election fraud, a crime that directly undermines the voting process, still have the right to participate in that process? I'd love to hear your thoughts on this.
@VulcanMan6 3mos3MO
I completely disagree with the notion that voting should be considered a "privilege" in any nation that is meant to be a democracy. Unless all members of a nation are guaranteed their share of an equal vote or decision-making say, then that system is fundamentally NOT democratic. Any system that denies the right to vote to it's own citizens is anti-democratic, not to mention the basic fact that any nation that can deny voting rights to prisoners will have a vested interest in imprisoning those that disagree with the desires of the ruling class.
Elections should be guaranteed to all, and be made more easily accessible and safe. We shouldn't deny the right to vote for any citizen for any reason, especially not as punishment.
@ISIDEWITH8yrs8Y
No
@9GMBVD71mo1MO
Criminals who have done a terrible crime like murder, rape, or pedophilia, etc. They shouldn't be able to vote unless they have been positively cleared and okay to be let out and that they have been to someone like therapy to get help. And after all that maybe they can vote.
@9FLWT3MRepublican2mos2MO
Criminals went to jail and did time because of their choice. Whatever they did it was bad enough to put them in jail. So why should criminals be able to vote if they have been in jail for who knows how long and they don't know what is going on and they choose a random person. That person gets one more vote even if that person is winning or losing or if they are good or bad.
Do you want someone who murdered another human being because they wanted to voting for someone who will be running our country?
@9FMHF6S2mos2MO
In this country we value liberty, and that all people are created equal. These people, though in prison, are still citizens of the United States, and still must be afforded the civil liberty of being allowed to take part in their nation's politics, and have their say.
@ISIDEWITH8yrs8Y
@ISIDEWITH8yrs8Y
Yes, but only after completing their sentences and parole/probation
@9GKZF7B 1mo1MO
Top Disagreement
i think rather they can vote or not is based on how harsh of a crime they do and even if a its a minor crime i think if they have multiple charges ban them from voting for a sum of time
@9GMGC5Y1mo1MO
Well, I think if the criminal did his/her time and has proven to be a good person, they should be allowed to vote.
@9GMG954Republican1mo1MO
i do not think they should have the right to vote no matter how harsh the crime is. if they broke laws made in american grounds, then they should not have the right to vote for someone who will be running our country, county, and state. it's not fair that criminals that don't care about laws should have the right to vote
i think rather they can vote or not is based on how harsh of a crime they do and even if a its a minor crime i think if they have multiple charges ban them from voting for a sum of time
@9GMBVD71mo1MO
Criminals shouldn't be able to vote unless they have been fully cleared and are positive that they are no longer committing the crime
@9GJ3Z83Republican1mo1MO
I agree with the argument that you could be able to vote as a criminal after completing their sentences and parole/probation
@9GGZV4Y1mo1MO
Convicted Criminals should not have the right to vote even after they serve their sentence because they broke the laws of this country so how do we know they have the best interest for the country
@ISIDEWITH8yrs8Y
@ISIDEWITH7 days7D
Should the severity or type of crime dictate whether a person loses their right to vote permanently?
@9H9J4P95 days5D
In a democracy those convicted of a criminal conviction should have the right to vote as long as they are not currently serving a sentance
@9H9J6LGIndependent5 days5D
Yes, extremely violent or repeat offenders should be disenfranchised.
@9H8DDSS7 days7D
no. they could become better people or be changed so it shouldnt matter but maybe a mental evaluation might be necessary.
Yes. The type of crime determines the type of person the offender is which helps decide if they should vote or not.
@59CBZLK3yrs3Y
Yes, every citizen deserves the right to vote. Felons should be the first to vote as they have a right not to be subject to cruel and unusual punishment. This is also a way to show felons that society has not given up on them. We should try and rehabilitate felons rather than solely incarcerate and punish them.
@MyraMedchan1yr1Y
When I think of felons I think of hard core sociopaths who would play the system if it meant they could go back and do terrible things again. I wouldn’t expect them to vote responsibly just as I wouldn't expect a person with alsheimers or dementia to vote responsiblly.. not all 'criminals' fall into this category and I agree that rehabilitation would be preferable to incarceration. but some may be so far gone from humanity that rehabilitation may not be viable. And
@8T4WYSK3yrs3Y
Most Felons actually do have the right to vote after they get out of prison/jail.
@ISIDEWITH7 days7D
If trust can be rebuilt in personal relationships, should society consider allowing rehabilitated individuals the chance to vote again?
@9H8DY477 days7D
Yes. If people truly become rehabilitated and are contributing to society, they should be granted the right to vote.
@9H8DDSS7 days7D
of course! having a history doesnt make them any less capable of having their own voting rights. they should know that they have a choice in what happens to them. people who are experiencing jail should have a say in what happens in it.
@9H8F35J7 days7D
No. While certain felons deserve a chance to vote again, the complicated process of setting up a system by which they can apply to regain their voting rights is not worth the effort, funding, and potential for corruption that would necessarily be involved.
@ISIDEWITH7 days7D
Do you feel our democracy is strengthened or weakened when certain groups are excluded from voting?
@9H8H5D47 days7D
It’s complicated however after a criminal serves the time for their punishment and start paying taxes I think they should be given back their right to vote. As the saying goes “No taxation without representation”
@9H8H735Republican7 days7D
I think people in jail or prision should not have the right to vote.Because they could just be playing a joke or high. Yes they are still a citizen but they make poor choices.
@9H97BQW6 days6D
I believe that democracy is weakened when certain groups are excluded from voting. This is because voting is an intrinsic right that all people have the right to d.
I think that they have strengthen because people have started to know who to vote
@ISIDEWITH7 days7D
Can someone truly reintegrate into society if they are continuously denied certain rights, like voting?
@9H8J5ZJ6 days6D
It depends on the nature of the crime they commited, how long ago, and of they are a repeat offender.
@4STBS9G3yrs3Y
Yes, because there is nothing that a felon could vote on that would hurt the well-being of everyone else. Also, I think that the last thing felons think about while committing a crime is their distain from not being able to vote any more.
@ISIDEWITH7 days7D
How would you feel if you were not allowed to vote because of a mistake you made in your past?
@9H98ZTY6 days6D
depend on the mistake but its not that important to me at all.
@9H8F9M87 days7D
I would be very upset but you chose your own path in life and it’s no one fault but yours
@9H8F6CZ7 days7D
I believe criminals should be allowed to vote after a certain amount of time. They are still part of the country.
The historical activity of users engaging with this question.
Loading data...
Loading chart...
Loading the political themes of users that engaged with this discussion
Loading data...
