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Virginia’s recent political history has seen multiple races that were decided by tiny margins. The 2014 U.S. Senate race, for example, was decided by only 17,000 votes, while the attorney general’s race came down to a mere 165 votes.
It is partisanship to attempt to change state law a few months before an election by executive order. I personally think an ex felon who has completed sentence and probation should have voting rights restored. The issue is timing and executive order by a partisan Democrat Governor who had no right to make that decision unilaterally.
My reaction was based on the source (The Daily Caller) used by the OP and the comment that followed. I am also tired of the continuous whining by Trump that the system is rigged. Last night he lied about busloads of Hispanics voting after hours in Nevada. Today he said (referring to McAuliffe)
"He's letting criminals cancel out the votes of law-abiding citizens," Trump told a cheering crowd in Leesburg, Va., on Nov. 7."
[URL="The Latest: Trump raps McAuliffe for restoring voting rights"]The Latest: Trump raps McAuliffe for restoring voting rights[/URL]
Are you insinuating all felons in Virginia are black? Well color me surprised.
No, I'm citing the reason McCauliffe gave. I'm not surprised that you didn't catch that. You seem to be very focused on YOUR narrative, and deliberately ignoring anything that would suggest otherwise.
Don't you just love the way dems argue that the VA Gov. is doing this simply because it's the right thing to do and there is no political agenda involved - when the documented trail of money says otherwise.
So Trump supporters please save us the fake outrage.
In some states people can vote from prison(ME, VT).
In 15 states people can vote after they finish their incarceration term: DC, HI, IL, IN, MD, MA, MI, NH, MO, ND, OH, OR, PA, RI and UT
Then 19 other states allow voting after probation: AK, AR, GA, ID, KS, LA, MN, MO, NE, NJ, NM, NC, OK, SC, SD, TX, WA, WV and WI
Interesting.
I live in Colorado. I was convicted of a felony 19 years ago. Was not sentenced to a day in prison (first time offense; drug posession) & I have voted in every election before & after.
That felony continues to haunt me in many ways (pled guilty prior to being informed that my arresting officer had been found guilty of Misconduct; admitted to planting evidence)
... but I refuse to let voting be one of them. Since 1997 I've never even had as much as a parking ticket.
I've always voted within the precinct I was registered in, in person (vs mai-lin/drop-off ballot) & have never had an issue.
I've been employed, paid my income taxes. Owned property; paid my taxes. Am a consumer; pay my sales taxes ..."No taxation without representation ..."
If given the choice between never paying any tax ever again or voting ... I would choose my right to vote.
Don't know if this matters but I'm a Republican. Conservative.
Did you see my last paragraph in blue in the OP? Those receiving pardons likely are not properly vetted.
If they paid their time - that's fine. My guess is that is not the case for all that are pardoned.
Does 20,000-30,000 make a difference... ask the governor who did this a day before the election.
Please explain what you mean. Let's say the Gov of VA pardoned the number of felons you claim. The deadline for voter registration in Viriginia was October 21. So how would this impact the election?
Quote:
Originally Posted by VTHokieFan
Before the Republicans get in a tizzy on here, it WAS Republican Bob McDonnell who started the whole "give back voting rights to felons" thing.
The Daily Caller?? The entire article is grossly exaggerated. There are residents of Virginia who have served their sentences, gone through a long probation period, and have not been able to vote. The Governor has been trying to restore their rights for a long time. There are also not 60,000 as reported, since many haven't even registered. Do you really believe in a state in which Clinton has been leading by double digits and is now ahead by as many as 15 points, according to the latest polls, 20 to 30,000 votes will make a difference?
In 2012, there were approximately 5.4 million registered voters in Virginia. Approx 3.9 million people voted in Nov 2012. And Trump supporters are whining about a possible 60,000 people who were pardoned and might register to vote and might vote for Hillary Clinton?
Republicans have to be vigilant in keeping the voting electorate as small as possible because they know broad diverse electorates tend to go D.
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