convicted felon asks

[vanilla]

I've read some comments on here about convicted felons not being able to vote and all.
Well, I've been voting and i am one.
How come?
I was arrested 10 years ago (holiday weekend) and was in 4 days(casue it was a holiday weekend.
My former husband was in jail, and had ordered me to bring him weed, which I did.
I was sent to court a few months later, after being released that weekday.
I received probation.
So how can I vote?

[Tedster]

Depends on your state.

There's also the question of how well it's enforced.

All that said, most people that I'm aware of feel the prohibition of felons from our election process should be limited to rapists, murderers, armed robbers, kiddie porn gurus, etc. etc.

[Saltire]

Are you sure that was a felony? Sounds like a lot of jurisdictions would call it a misdemeanor. Yours probably does, since you were given probation. Felonies usually get at least a year in jail, or a fairly hefty fine.

[vanilla]

Well, I live in Ohio.
The defender who represented me said it was a 3rd or 4th degree felony.
It was my first (and last) offense.

[wring]

depending on which state you live in, it may not be illegal at all. Besides until recently, the voter rolls were not generally checked w/lists of felons.

My guess, however, is that it was a felony. While possession of weed may or may not be in small amounts a big deal in places, I would expect that attempting to smuggle it into a correctional setting would be. The fact she spent tiny bit of time in jail + probation by itself does not mean that it wasn't a felony.

What state are you in, I can check.

[vanilla]

I was given a fine.
Also a year in jail officially, but I didn't have to serve it.

[wring]

heres an interactive which shows the 14 most restricted states.

according to the pamphlet I have from the US Dept. Of Justice re: restoring your right to vote in Ohio:

If you are a resident of the state of OHio, you cannot vote while incarcerated as the result of a felony conviction. (If you're a resident of the state that allows incarcerated felons to vote, you can vote by absentee ballot).

Upon release, your right ot vote is automatically restored upon final release from your sentence. You also may vote in Ohio, if you're on probation, parole, judical release, conditional pardon etc. Same rules for federal crimes.

however please note that if you move to certain states (Florida is one) they will not care where your felony was committed. "If you move to another state your right ot vote will be controlled by the laws of that state".

[vanilla]

Thanks wring.
Hmmm, what about D.C?
Would i be able to vote there?

[wring]

:::flip flip flip flip::: (needed to have you get the graphic of me flipping through brochures).

According to the DC brochure, their regs are similar to Ohio (ie that if you're a resident and incarcerated you can't vote, but once you're released you can).

That interactive has the states that are most likely to suspend right to vote post incarceration. There's only 14 of 'em. But, it's worth knowing.

[Lance Turbo]

Originally posted by vanilla
Thanks wring.
Hmmm, what about D.C?
Would i be able to vote there?

You could be mayor of DC.