Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Jacob OglesAugust 12, 2018

Supporters rallied this weekend in Orlando behind a ballot initiative to restore voting rights for ex-felons. The Florida Rights Restoration Coalition held its Second Chances Convening Thursday through Saturday at the Rosen Centre Hotel, where hundreds of supporters gathered around Amendment 4, a measure set to appear on the November ballot statewide. “Through the hard […]

Danny McAuliffeJuly 23, 2018

An effort to empower those who cannot vote in the U.S. is turning its focus to Florida ahead of the midterm election. The reason? Florida’s population marks an intersection of three groups that fear their voices go unheard at the ballot. Among them: immigrants without citizenship, underage voters and disenfranchised felons who have completed their […]

Ana CeballosJanuary 23, 2018

Florida is home to more than 1.5 million citizens who can’t cast a vote in elections unless granted clemency by Gov. Rick Scott and the Cabinet. But that could change in November. State election officials on Tuesday verified that the constitutional amendment that would automatically restore the voting rights of convicted felons—except for those convicted […]

Jim RosicaNovember 29, 2017

The main backer of a proposed constitutional amendment that would automatically restore some felons’ voting rights after they complete their sentences told Florida Politics his effort now has collected over 900,000 signatures. “Knowing that we set the goal of collecting 1 million, the fact that we are less than 100,000 petitions away from our goal […]

Mitch PerryNovember 3, 2017

A proposed constitutional amendment that seeks to automatically restore some felons’ voting rights appears more likely than ever to come before Florida voters next year. But ballot access is only one step toward becoming law. The amendment must pass with 60 percent of voters next November — no sure thing since it will likely face […]

Jim RosicaNovember 1, 2017

The main backer of a proposed constitutional amendment that would automatically restore some felons’ voting rights after they complete their sentences says his group now has collected over 750,000 signatures. Desmond Meade, president of the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition, also said on Wednesday that he’s confident the amendment will have a million signatures by year’s end. […]

Mitch PerryAugust 19, 2017

This summer, the Tampa Tiger Bay Club has bypassed its normal practice of asking politicians to come into its den. Instead, the civic-minded organization has invited speakers to discuss some of the pressing issues facing Florida. This has often led to advocates and critics of an issue dueling it out during Tiger Bay forums. Not […]

Mitch PerryMay 26, 2016

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Noting how Florida leads the nation in barring ex-felons from regaining their right to vote, Orlando area Congressman and Democratic Senate candidate Alan Grayson announced legislation on Thursday that would reinstate voting rights to those Americans who have been shut out of the political process. “We lead the nation in voter disenfranchisement,” Grayson said in a conference call with reporters, […]

Mitch PerryMarch 28, 2016

After working for and with the people in East Tampa for three decades, Diane Hart now says she’s ready to represent them in Tallahassee. The longtime businesswoman/activist said this month she’s running for the House District 61 seat in Tampa. Democratic incumbent Ed Narain is leaving the seat, which he won in 2014, to run for state senate. Although this […]

Mitch PerrySeptember 18, 2015

Florida is one of only three states left in the country that takes away ex-felons voting rights for life. More than 1.6 million Floridians cannot vote, hold office or serve on a jury, according to The Sentencing Project, a prison-reform group. Democrats in the Florida Legislature have railed for years against what they call this […]

Tag: Florida Rights Restoration Coalition

Second Chances organizers rally around restoring voting rights

Florida targeted by new voter engagement group

Initiative that would restore felons’ voting rights qualifies for 2018 ballot

Voting restoration amendment has 900,000 signatures

Tampa attorney argues against proposed voter restoration amendment

Voting restoration amendment has 750,000 signatures

Advocates push for restoration of voting rights for ex-felons at Tampa Tiger Bay Forum

Alan Grayson proposes legislation that would restore voting rights to ex-felons

Diane Hart enters HD 61 race, says it’s her time

Ex-felon voting rights group’s money troubles cost it League backing … for now