The Clarion-Ledger Editorial, 3/16/9
During the recent voter identification bill debate, the four senators who killed voter ID in the Senate Elections Committee wailed about the dangers they perceived of the voter ID bill expanding the rights of felons to vote.
That’s a nice political red herring if one is trying to frighten and confuse voters who don’t understand why people paying 20 years of lip service to wanting voter ID just killed it in a committee vote. But it has little to do with reality.
Criminals convicted of 21 specific felonies are barred from voting under current state law. Those felonies include: armed robbery, arson, bigamy, bribery, carjacking, embezzlement, extortion, felony bad check, felony shoplifting, forgery, larceny, murder, obtaining money or goods under false pretense, perjury, rape, receiving stolen property, robbery, statutory rape, theft, timber larceny, and unlawful taking of a vehicle. Individuals convicted of felonies other than the 21 listed above may vote at all times – including while they are incarcerated.
