ST. PAUL, Minn. (KFGO/WCCO) – The challenge made its way through several courts, and now the Minnesota Supreme Court has upheld a relatively new state law that allows felons to vote after their release from prison.
Supporters say the restoration of voting rights helps felons invest in their communities. But critics say it disproportionately helps Democrats.
The ruling comes at a crucial time with Minnesota’s primary election coming up next week.
An estimated 57,000 felons are eligible to vote in this year’s election.
Last year the governor signed into law a bill restoring the right to vote to felons who were released from custody and still on probation.
An Anoka County judge dismissed the challenge, with the group appealing the case to the State Supreme Court. In a similar case, a Mille Lacs County judge ruled the law was unconstitutional, but the State Court of Appeals said that judge didn’t have the authority to make the ruling.
The original bill’s House author, Rep. Cedrick Frazier, says the current system that only allows them to vote after they’ve completed probation, parole or supervised release is discriminatory and outdated.
“There are tens of thousands of individuals, approximately 55,000 in the state of Minnesota, that are in their communities, deemed to be safe, back with their families, working jobs, paying taxes, being productive, but they don’t have one of the most fundamental things in our Democracy and that’s their voice,” says Frazier. “Their right to vote.”
Most state Republicans are against the change and have argued that those who were convicted of crimes should continue to face penalties.
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