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

[EvilCrazyMonkey]

They had a segment on the news about how convicted felons didn't have the right to vote--even out of prison. Honestly, I think that you should be able to vote no matter what.

Anyway, start the debate. :3

 

[Alexi]

I agree, they should. What are they going to do in voting? O.o That makes no sense.

 

[The Quicker Picker-Upper]

If someone's crazy enough to commit a felony, is that person sane enough to have a say in who'll be running the entire country for the next four years?
I doubt if it really matters that much, but I can see why it's an issue.

 

[Valerunner]

Sure. They're still citizens.

Voting is considered a human right, IIRC.

 

[Vladimir Putin's LJ]

I don't see what being in jail has to do with being sane enough to vote or not, unless the criminal is judged, well, insane. :I

 

[J.T.]

Sure, I don't see any reason why they shouldn't be able to. What crime is a felon gonna commit by saying who he wants running the country?

 

[Icalasari]

No. They forfeited their rights when they were convicted

 

[EvilCrazyMonkey]

No. They forfeited their rights when they were convicted

What's wrong with someone having the right to vote?
Thought it was a right of America. Hell, thought that was the special part of America.

 

[Furretsu]

Is there a sensible reason they shouldn't?

 

[Icalasari]

>.> *Has got to stop posting in the debating hall while on the wii*

I can't explain my reasoning thouroughly at the moment

 

[Vladimir Putin's LJ]

No. They forfeited their rights when they were convicted

So because they committed a crime they're to be stripped of basic human rights?
That's retarded.

 

[Zhorken]

>.> *Has got to stop posting in the debating hall while on the wii*

I can't explain my reasoning thouroughly at the moment

A better idea would be to stop using the Wii browser; it's a cool gimmick I guess but it's completely useless compared to an actual browser 8V


I see absolutely no reason not to let them.

 

[surskitty]

If completely batshit insane people can vote, why not felons?

 

[Dannichu]

Insane people aren't allowed to vote. At least, not in the UK.

To be able to vote in a UK Parliamentary election, you must be:

*Aged 18 or over,
*A citizen of the UK, a Commonwealth country or the Republic of Ireland,
*Resident in a constituency and on the electoral register, and
*Not in a category barred from voting (see below).
*In addition, British citizens who have lived abroad for up to 20 years may vote, and voters in Northern Ireland must have lived in the constituency for the previous three months.

In all, more than 44 million people meet these criteria.

Barred from voting:

There are certain categories of people not allowed to vote:

*Members of the House of Lords. The ejection of most hereditary peers from the Lords in 1999 means that they will be able to vote - and stand - for the first time in a general election.
*Those in prison.
*People convicted of electoral malpractice are barred for five years.
*Echoing the rather arcane language of the legislation, "idiots" may not vote and "lunatics" only during their lucid periods. Those compulsorily detained in psychiatric hospitals, for example, cannot vote.

I dunno, to be honest. Loads of non-criminal people I know can't be bothered to vote, so it never really occured to me that someone locked up for dealing crack or whatever would really care if he could vote or not.

I don't really have a problem with it, though I don't think that a government saying that you lose your right to elect a head of state when you go and murder someone is a massive violation of human rights.

I think it's funny that "idots" can't vote. XD

 

[Teh Ebil Snorlax]

Nor do I.

 

[surskitty]

Insane people aren't allowed to vote. At least, not in the UK.

Somebody does not have to be certifiably insane in order to be completely incapable of making a good decision.

 

[Harlequin]

It is perhaps reasonable that felons should be prevented from voting while they are in jail, but their suffrage ought to be returned once their jail sentence expires.

 

[Icalasari]

What's wrong with someone having the right to vote?
Thought it was a right of America. Hell, thought that was the special part of America.

Ok, I was thinking in terms of, "Still in prison, shouldn't have any rights as they were forfeited, etc."

Yeah, once they are out of prison, sure they can vote again. But while in prison, no way

 

[surskitty]

So you would rather have some random white supremacist voting than a felon?

I don't see why someone who happened to have committed a felony should not be able to vote when said person might be better informed and have something more worth saying than plenty of other people who are able to vote.

 

[Harlequin]

because when you're imprisoned you're subject to certain losses of your liberty

this can mean not being allowed outside [obv] but it could also mean other things like access to the Internet and stuff like that. I could see voting coming under that.