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Should convicted felons get the right to cast a vote? [USA]

What I am saying is that, upon being convicted, they forfeited their rights. Voting is a right. As such, they should not have it until out of prison again

EDIT: Go not seeing the second page! x.x
 
The topic is vague. If it means should felons be allowed to vote after their sentence, there's no debate because of course they should be allowed to. Now, if we're talking about voting while serving their sentence, then we have a debate.

I honestly believe that the prison system should hold elections, although the types of inmates that are allowed to vote can be arguable. For example, there really isn't much point in prisoners serving a life sentence or on death row voting lest it directly affects them. However, there are plenty of prisoners that deserve the right to vote while incarcerated as long as they know they could go back into a society that's changed.

If there must be a limitation, voting rights should be reinstated to those with less than three years to serve, which typically means the inmates would also be allowed government sponsored jobs at the time, which can be quite useful for a number of incarcerated people.
 
surskitty said:
So you would rather have some random white supremacist voting than a felon?
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DEBATES ARE NOT ABOUT WHAT YOU WOULD RATHER HAVE
IT'S ABOUT WHAT IS GOOD AND WHAT IS WRONG
in fact, that was the argument my mom pulled on me when i talked about it. "Say Grandma was murdered in Wal-Mart tomorrow. Would you want that murderer to vote?"

ontopic: i don't know much about prisoners obtaining news, but i say they should definitely be allowed to vote if they are informed in the slightest (i say draw the line at them knowing the candidates--many voters out of prison know only that).
 
Vyraura said:
No, because you lose your rights by committing a crime.
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First, do you mean they should lose their rights forever, or only while they're in jail? Second, criminals do not lose all their rights, so why should they lose specially this one?
 
That depends on the felony, I'd say. I wouldn't want a serial rapist voting, but I'm rather indifferent to something significantly less.
 
Ruby said:
First, do you mean they should lose their rights forever, or only while they're in jail? Second, criminals do not lose all their rights, so why should they lose specially this one?
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Obviously not forever, while they are in jail. I see losing your voting rights as perfectly reasonable, especially considering most of those in jail probably wouldn't vote in the first place.
 
Crazy Weavile said:
Fair enough; the phrasing was bad, but the point still stands- not all felonies are equal.
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I know exactly what you meant: greater crimes should have greater punishments. Saying "want" makes the sentence sound like you're biased against them for some reason.
 
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