DEBATE OF THE DAY: Should Convicted Felons Have THE RIGHT To Vote?

[SirReginald]

Aight, I'm in Virginia and my governor just restored convicted felons voting rights. Should convicted felons vote down the line? Yes. However, I feel they have to earn that by being productive in society and etc for a certain length of time. So, what are your thoughts on this?

Basically, I don't think convicts should be able to vote when they just got out of prison. They have to earn it in my opinion.

 

[BaggerofTea]

Yes they should.

 

[SirReginald]

@JahFocus CS @BucciMane @Aelyas en passant @CACtain Planet @King Kreole @Poe Dameron @Blessed Is the Man

 

[filial_piety]

I think it's unconstitutional to deny any citizen that right, and I say this as someone who unapologetically votes GOP most of the time.

 

[™BlackPearl The Empress™]

I really don't understand why they shouldn't be able to vote after they served their time? What is the argument behind taking away their right to vote?

 

[Circle p]

I don't think most felons care that much about voting, but I think they should get that right after they serve all there time.

 

[ottorocket]

Why shouldn't they?

 

[SirReginald]

I really don't understand why they shouldn't be able to vote after they served their time? What is the argument behind taking away their right to vote?

See, my point is if they in was prison most of their life they don't know what's going on in the everyday realm. I'm for them voting, but they have to earn that. For me, it's not easy just voting for someone. I have to research the candidate and etc.

 

[Woman of god]

Incarceration disproportionately affects certain segments of the population. What you're effectively asking is should African Americans and low income people be shut out of and disenfranchised in politics even more so than they already are. The answer is no

 

[™BlackPearl The Empress™]

See, my point is if they in was prison most of their life they don't know what's going on in the everyday realm. I'm for them voting, but they have to earn that. For me, it's not easy just voting for someone. I have to research the candidate and etc.

But why do they have to earn it if they already served their time? Most people don't do any research on the people they vote for. Most just vote on party lines. Besides it's not like they are walking out of prison and straight to the polls. They'll have time to caught up to current events.

 

[Woman of god]

See, my point is if they in was prison most of their life they don't know what's going on in the everyday realm. I'm for them voting, but they have to earn that. For me, it's not easy just voting for someone. I have to research the candidate and etc.

The average American doesn't know much about the candidate they're voting for tho. People who never been to jail don't bother to research the Issues either

 

[Kamikaze Revy]

See, my point is if they in was prison most of their life they don't know what's going on in the everyday realm. I'm for them voting, but they have to earn that. For me, it's not easy just voting for someone. I have to research the candidate and etc.

This completely contradicts your OP.
On one hand you make it seem like a person being a felon means they should lose their right to vote by nature of being a felon.
On the other hand you say your point is in prison they don't what's going on in "the everyday realm".
There's a few things wrong with that when trying to remove felons based off your prerequisites.
1. There is an overwhelming amount of people that have never been to jail that have no idea "what's going on in the everyday realm".
2. In prison you aren't cut off from the world entirely. You still get news, sports, etc. If anything, being cut off physical from the "everyday realm" forces you to seek out more information about the world than you normally would because you're looking for a way to still be connected to the outside.
3. There is no realistic way we are going to make sure only informed voters vote.
4. A person that serves their time should be able to go back and be a productive member of society, with certain exceptions made for certain crimes, such as rape or child molestation, etc.

 

[SirReginald]

The average American doesn't know much about the candidate they're voting for tho. People who never been to jail don't bother to research the Issues either

I really must be one of a kind Before I voted, I researched the candidate I supported. Everything he said fell in line with his voting record

 

[SirReginald]

This completely contradicts your OP.
On one hand you make it seem like a person being a felon means they should lose their right to vote by nature of being a felon.
On the other hand you say your point is in prison they don't what's going on in "the everyday realm".
There's a few things wrong with that when trying to remove felons based off your prerequisites.
1. There is an overwhelming amount of people that have never been to jail that have no idea "what's going on in the everyday realm".
2. In prison you aren't cut off from the world entirely. You still get news, sports, etc. If anything, being cut off physical from the "everyday realm" forces you to seek out more information about the world than you normally would because you're looking for a way to still be connected to the outside.
3. There is no realistic way we are going to make sure only informed voters vote.
4. A person that serves their time should be able to go back and be a productive member of society, with certain exceptions made for certain crimes, such as rape or child molestation, etc.

True, but people not in jail/prison can research because atleast they view news and internet. People in prison, it's gonna be harder for them to keep up. They just denied my uncle the right to vote. He was a convict. Also, before then he didn't even vote. I'm not saying they shouldn't vote, but I feel they have to become productive and etc before they do. That's why I chose option c.

 

[SirReginald]

Incarceration disproportionately affects certain segments of the population. What you're effectively asking is should African Americans and low income people be shut out of and disenfranchised in politics even more so than they already are. The answer is no

I mean felons period. Not just Black or White.