Battling for their right to vote

Jet, August 11, 2003

* BATTLING FOR THEIR RIGHT TO VOTE: Florida state Sen. Frederica Wilson of Miami speaks at a news conference in the city on the efforts of some 125,000 exfelons to get their right to vote restored after they were freed. They claim they failed to receive enough advice on how to regain the right. Looking on are (l-r) Brian Dennis, president of Brothers of the Same Mind, a non-profit ex-felons assistance organization; Lance Turnquist, an ex-felon seeking to have his rights restored; and Brad Brown, president of the Miami-Dade chapter of the NAACP. The state recently agreed to help the ex-cons regain their voting rights. An agreement by the Department of Corrections will settle the case brought by civil rights groups. About 94,000 of the felons will have to apply for a clemency hearing before the governor and his cabinet, but the rest can skip the hearing and will probably be able to vote within a year. Florida is one of eight states that deny ex-felons the right to vote unless they take steps to have their civil rights restored by the state.

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