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SHOULD FELONS BE ABLE TO VOTE?
Tuesday, February 19th, 2008 -- 11:22 am
Posted by Riley Hebert-News Director
40,000 state citizens won't be allowed to vote in Tuesday's election.
They're felons who are either on parole or probation and state law prohibits them from voting.
But a bill authored by Democrat Joe Parisi of Madison, with strong backing from the Wisconsin American Civil Liberties Union, wants to change that.
It would allow them to vote, as long as they've finished their prison time and are serving parole or probation.
The current law has a disproportionate impact on blacks in the state, according to ACLU attorney Renee Crawford.
But Rep. Scott Suder (R-Abbotsford) says too many parolees commit new crimes. He says that shows they're not ready to vote.
The bill may get a hearing before the end of the summer.
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