Why Felons Voting Right Laws Should Change

In the United States, the Felon voting rights differ from one state to another. However, only two States (Maine and Vermont) allow Felons and ex-felons to vote. If anything, revoking the rights of the Felons to vote is a backward step. In Massachusetts, then argues that the criminal behind bars have no right to decide who should govern the law abiding citizens of the commonwealth. However, I don`t agree with the sentiments of Massachusetts and Utah. The felony crimes range from the harshest of those that are restrictive. Some harshest crime might make someone to lose losing his voting permanently while on the other hand, the restrictive approach gives the Felon a right to vote after serving in prison. Of course, in criminal law, a felony might result in incarceration for one year, imprisonment, and even payment of fines for felony charges. As the federal criminal statutes highlight, some of the serious offenses that can deny a person a right to vote include rape, murder, human trafficking, robbery, and buggery among others. Even though the criminal face different jurisdiction in the state court, the laws regarding their voting right should change. Apparently, the conviction for a felony is too harsh to comprehend. Thus, the voting rights should change because of the following reasons:

The Felons should be allowed to vote because they also have a choice to choose the politician to represent them in government. For example, inmates suffer because of the laws that are made by the politician. As such, if they don`t choose their representatives, it means they will not have a defender in the government to fight for their rights, among them the right to vote. Some laws made by the politicians are partisan. I think, if the inmates are allowed to vote, they might support a politician whom they feel will spearhead the changes in the court system that seems to incline towards the inmates. I think the Felons are part of our democratic society. Thus, it is wrong to revoke them the right to choose the people who should lead them.

Denying the prisoners the right to vote is a way of disenfranchising people. Of course, the Felons live by the same rule of law like everyone else. For example, they pay taxes, pay a mortgage, pay for the driving license, and other things. This means the inmates have an impact on the economy. If the Felons pay tax, why shouldn`t they be allowed to vote or why should they be punished even after finishing their jail term? Such punishments don`t make sense of the inmates are not allowed to vote.

The Felon deserves freedom of speech. I think voting is a right that is endowed to everyone. If your vote counts, then the vote of the Felon also counts. Voting is a way of conveying your opinion. In the United States, the law mandates people to say their opinion. Therefore, if by coincidence, someone commits a crime, it should not mean that his or her right to vote should be revoked. Hence, the rights of Felons to vote should be reinstated.

Research shows some advanced democracies give the prisoners the right to vote. In a court ruling in 2005, the European Court of Human Rights recalled the ban of Britain`s prisoners by condemning the act of preventing prisoners from voting. The Court said that disallowing prisoners to vote is like revoking the liberty of the prisoners.

The Felon should retain their rights to vote. There is no interlink between committing a crime and revoking the rights of the criminal from voting. In many cases, if the law abiding citizens are affected by the decisions of their leaders. It is difficult to tell that someone who is contesting for a political sit will rule in your favor or as the person supporting him or she expects. Therefore, a right for everyone to vote might help to rule out people who are not good stewards. If you investigate some cases, people have been put on trial because of police set up. Other crimes are cooked, or it is a drill to suppress the oppressed. There are some people in prison awaiting trial in court to prove their innocence. Why the voting rights should be revoked before determining their fate in the court of law. They might be guilty or the opposite. Voting is a valuable exercise, thus everyone should be granted the opportunity regardless of his or her crimes to vote.

Committing a felony does not make someone a bad person. Many instances orchestrate a crime in the society. For example, a crime committed out of anger makes a person feel guilty for a short period. Therefore, once the person is sobriety returns, the person will rebuke his actions and maybe apologize. We should appreciate that people make mistakes, and denying them a right to vote is the worst mistake.

A Felon retains his citizenship even while imprisoned. I believe that those people convicted of a crime are the U.S citizens too. As a fact, if they are recognized as citizens, they must have freedom of opinion. Denying them to vote is a way of showing the Felons that they don`t have a voice of reason; their freedom is compromised. Therefore, the Felon should also contribute towards the national affairs such as choosing the president of their choice. Some prisoners have a smart thinking capacity. At some point, they might even help and support the country in several ways in which the freeman cannot do. The prisoners deserve a chance to elect their leaders thus democracy will prevail. For instance, a person awaiting trial is denied to vote, after the court ruling he is announced innocent; he joins the rest of the society, governed by people who are not of his choice. Imagine that feeling. The matter is of great concern and requires the approaches of viewing the coin from both sides.

Allowing the Felon to vote is a sign of unity. In a democracy, the right to vote is essential. A democracy does not discriminate; the prisoner and the free citizens are equal. Democracy can work if everyone is part of the democracy. In other words, discriminating other citizens from voting merely because they serve a jail term or are ex-felons is harsh punishment. Imagine if someone who joins their society members after serving a jail only to be denied a right to vote in their lifetime. The action is unfair. If the ex-felons maintain to support the economy by paying taxes and working for the economy, why should their right to vote be revoked? As part of rehabilitation, restoring the civil rights and voting rights of ex-felons are paramount. On the contrary, denying the ex-felon and those serving the jail term the right to vote is a sign of discrimination.

Sometimes, people commit crimes because of failed social structures. The prisoners also have an issue that affects them in the society. As a citizen of the United States, a right is not a privilege. Notably, only the oppressed people in the society who face the full force of the law. For example, there are known corporate criminals and politicians who violate the constitution by breaking the law, but have never been brought to justice. A prisoner or an Ex-felon cannot vote for such people. Therefore, a felon who feels discriminated after being released from prison is likely to repeat the crime. Maybe some of these punishments make the U.S have rates of crime. The government ought to change the laws regarding the voting rights of felons.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is evident that the impact of prisoner voting in the United States can be transformative. This is because more than 2 million Americans are serving a jail term in the United States. This is a number more than the population of some States. This means that prisoners if allowed to vote can transform the country. More than 2 million citizens without the fundamental right to vote are wrong punishment. Enabling the prisoners to vote will help the prisoners to appreciate the democratic right. Of course, felons to a great extent do heinous crimes, but the government should relent on this matter. The United States is a democracy, thus retaining the democratic polity of the prisoners is the best decision the government can do to avert crime.