Club urges opposition to felon voting rights proposal
One of the biggest political organizations in Palm Beach County, the Donald Trump club, is urging its members and supporters to oppose automatic voting rights for felons who have completed their sentence.
The advice came from the Trump Club 45 PBC (the number stands for the 45th president; the letters for the county), which routinely gets hundreds of supporters to its monthly meetings in West Palm Beach.
The Broward Republican Party also recommended voting against felon rights restoration in its 2018 midterm voter guide. The Broward Democratic Party, which issued its voter guide on Wednesday, recommended a “yes” vote.
Proposed Amendment 4 to the Florida Constitution on the midterm election ballot would restore the right to vote for felons, except murderers and sex offenders, who have completed their sentences.
Florida is one of four states that ban felons who have served their time from voting. To get back the right to vote, ex-felons must go through a clemency process.
The clemency process has gyrated dramatically in recent years. During former Gov. Charlie Crist’s four years in office from 2007 to 2011, more than 150,000 ex-felons had their right to vote restored through an expedited process, the League of Women Voters of Florida reports.
Since Gov. Rick Scott took office in 2011, almost eight years ago, about 3,000 have had their rights restored. A federal judge has ruled that the current system is unconstitutional; a federal appeals court is considering the issue.
“We don’t like the word ‘automatic.’ Just like a felon could have his sentence shortened in front of a parole board, we think the board that’s used right now is the appropriate way to determine if a felon has his rights restored or not,” said Joe Budd, the Trump Club 45 PBC president. “Everyone’s different.”
Cynthia Busch, chairwoman of the Broward Democratic Party, said the amendment would apply to people who have paid their debt to society.
“A really important part of going back into society and being
successful is participating in the democratic process,” Busch said. “As a country and a society, we need to encourage people to integrate and become fully functioning members of society.”
Busch said felon disenfranchisement sweeps many people who have gone to prison because of drug convictions. And, she said, that has disproportionately affected people from minority groups.
The Trump club and the Broward Democratic Party disagreed on all the proposed constitutional amendments.
The Trump club recommended “yes” votes on eight of the proposed amendments and “no” votes on four.
The Broward Democrats recommended “no” votes on eight amendments and “yes” votes on four.
The Broward Republican Party’s positions were somewhat different.
Most notable was the split on Amendment 9, which would put a ban on offshore oil drilling in the state Constitution and also prohibit indoor vaping of e-cigarettes.
The club recommended “no.” Broward Democrats and Broward Republicans both recommended “yes.”
Other recommendations:
Amendment 3, which would put decisions involving gambling issues in the hands of voters. Trump club recommended “no,” Broward Democrats recommended “yes” and Broward Republicans had “no recommendation.”
Amendment 13, which would end greyhound racing in the state. Trump club and Broward Republicans both recommended a “no” vote. Democrats recommended “yes.”
The Trump 45 Club holds its monthly meetings at the Palm Beach Kennel Club, a greyhound race track.
The Trump club recommended “yes” votes and the Broward Democrats “no” votes on amendments 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 10, 11 and 12. The Trump club recommended “no” votes and the Democrats “yes” on amendments 3, 4, 9 and 13.
The Broward Republicans recommended “yes” votes on amendments 1,2,5,6,7, 9, 11 and 12. It recommended no votes on amendments, 4, 10 and 13, and “no recommendation” on Amendment 3.
There is no Amendment 8 because it was removed by the Florida Supreme Court.
The Trump club urged a no vote on the proposed increase in the property tax levied by the Palm Beach County School District.
The Broward Democratic Party recommended a “yes” vote on the Broward County referendum that would increase the sales tax. The Broward Republican Party had “no recommendation” on the tax increase.