End the Poll Tax

According to CNN, “Florida can bar ex-felons from voting if they owe court fines or fees associated with their convictions, even if they are unable to pay, a federal appeals court ruled Friday.

“The 6-4 ruling by the full 11th US Circuit Court of Appeals overturned a lower court's ruling blocking the law.”

This decision affects more than 700,000 former felons, many of whom can not afford to pay fees and penalties averaging between $400.00 and $1000.00. Contrary to the Appeals court decision, this is evidently an updated version of the poll tax. The District Court judge who originally ruled in favor of former felons called the effort to force payment an "unconstitutional pay-to-vote system."

My goal is to raise $50,000.00 to re-enfranchise former felons who have served their time.

Please read this New York Times story on Jeff Grover, a former felon who is unable to vote              Because “a federal appeals court ruled that Floridians with felony criminal records like himself would be ineligible to vote unless they paid back all their outstanding court fines and fees — in his case, at least $801.”

How Republicans Undermined Ex Felon Voting Rights in Florida