Felon Voting Rights

Democrats say the legislation would curb voter registration efforts, especially for people of color and felons who have completed their sentences.

The arrests of the 20 defendants last August targeted people who were convicted of murder or a felony sexual offense and therefore exempt from a constitutional amendment that restores voting rights to some felons.

Gov. Ron DeSantis made a spectacle of arresting voters with felony convictions. Now, some eligible voters are opting out of midterms even beyond Florida.

He was one of those arrested under Gov. DeSantis' election integrity initiative who had been convicted of either murder or felony sex assault and therefore ineligible under the new rules.

Among the topics on this week's Florida Roundup were reaction to the arrests seen on body camera footage of convicted felons who were accused of voter fraud.

Civil rights groups, including the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition, are demanding a statewide voter verification system, calling out officials’ “outrageous negligence” on the matter.

A report by the Tampa Bay Times and Miami Herald illustrates the confusion that has ensued after the arrests. The deputy director of the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition calls the system "broken."

On gun control, Marco Rubio said Americans have a Second Amendment right to protect themselves, while Val Demings accused Rubio of not doing enough to change laws to prevent mass shootings.

State leaders say the primaries went smoothly, but they’re still talking about work for the state’s new Office of Election Crimes and Security.

Florida voting rights advocates say the prosecutions are the result of the state's failure to create a system where individuals and election officials can easily verify whether someone has the right to vote after serving time for a felony conviction.

Ten Florida men with felony convictions have been charged with voter fraud because prosecutors say they registered and voted illegally. Critics say the punishments are unfair.

Jason Mariner, who served roughly two years in the Palm Beach County Jail, confirmed he did not go through the process to restore his right to hold office.