MN Legislature could act soon to restore voting rights for felons who have served prison time
The state Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that current Minnesota law which bars convicted felons from voting does *not* violate the Minnesota Constitution, but also indicated the legislature has the option to change that. It’s possible the Minnesota Senate as soon as next week could pass and send to the governor a bill the House approved in early February, to restore voting rights for felons who have served their jail or prison time:
“They are our neighbors, our friends…. They have jobs. They help take care of their families. They pay taxes, but in our representative government, they are deprived of the foundational right to vote.”
…bill sponsor, New Hope Democrat Cedrick Frazier. But Cambridge Representative Brian Johnson told Democrats…
“You want to give them their rights back, before they finish their debt to society.”
Republicans say felons’ voting rights should not be restored until they’ve finished probation and paid all fines, fees and court-ordered restitution.
