He's doing it again: Fla. to Purge Felons From Voter Lists

Fla. to Purge Felons From Voter Lists
Thu May 6, 2004

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Florida has ordered a statewide purge of freed felons from its voter roles, an election-year directive that some say would disenfranchise up to 40,000 people.

Lt. Gov. Toni Jennings said Thursday that Gov. Jeb Bush's administration was simply complying with federal election law, and the secretary of state's office said safeguards were in place to prevent targeting the wrong people.

The issue of felon voting surfaced from Florida's 2000 presidential recount that resulted in George W. Bush capturing the White House. The governor's older brother won Florida's pivotal 25 electoral votes by 537 votes out of more than 6 million cast.

Critics said Florida used out-of-state lists in 2000 to purge freed felons, taking their voting rights away although they had been restored in the state where their crimes were committed.

Florida is among a handful of states that does not automatically restore the voting rights of convicted criminals once they leave prison.

Others complained they were erroneously purged from the rolls because their name was identical or similar to that of a felon. Critics said blacks, who as a group voted more heavily for Democrat Al Gore, were disproportionately affected.

Since the 2000 election, the secretary of state's office has been moved from Cabinet status in Florida to an agency under the Republican governor.

The secretary of state's office on Thursday defended its actions.

Jenny Nash, spokeswoman for Secretary of State Glenda Hood, said the purge was mandated by law, and that the current list of possible felons was approved by the U.S. Department of Justice and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, which sued the state over the list used in 2000.