BY IRIS B. HOLTON
Sentinel City Editor
A recently released report indicates that there are approximately 17,000 Florida residents who may not know their right to vote has been restored. At least 13,000 of those individuals are not included on the state’s voter registration roll.
The names are of individuals who were convicted of a felony, but who applied for their restoration of rights. However, because they moved and did not provide a forwarding address, notification was impossible.
Ms. Yvette Lewis (pictured, right), Political Action Chairperson of the Hillsborough County Branch NAACP said of those 17,000 names, 1,816 are residents of Hillsborough County. The list of individuals applied for the rights restoration, but did not follow through with the Clemency Board.
Five years ago, then Governor Charlie Crist spearheaded the rights restoration rule. The names could include anyone who applied for rights restoration prior to the election of 2010. However, since that time, the Rick Scott Administration repealed the rule.
The rule was repealed and a new rule was proposed and spearheaded by Pam Bondi within months of her becoming the Attorney General in 2010. The new rule states that if a person is on a list to have his or her rights restored without a hearing, they must wait five years before they can apply. In the instances where a hearing is warranted the person must wait seven years before he or she can apply for rights restoration.
Whether a hearing is required or not depends on the type of crime that was committed.
Senator Arthenia Joyner said it actually takes even more time because the person must first prepare and then submit the application to have his or her rights restored.
Senator Joyner further said, “It is important that everybody in the community assist us in getting the word out that there are thousands of ex-felons who have had their rights restored and don’t know it.
“This is an opportunity for those who have fully paid their debt to society to make their voices heard at the ballot box. Let’s join together and talk this up at our churches, beauty salons, barber shops, on the job and everywhere we go because OUR future is at stake in the upcoming presidential election.”
Ms. Lewis said, “It was been brought to my attention that the Florida Parole Commission has Restoration of Civil Rights certificates of 17,604 as undeliverable.
“Through, hard work and determination I was able to get the complete list of certificates. Then, I discovered there were 1,816 Restoration of Civil Rights certificates in Hillsborough County. The NAACP is in the process of locating these people to inform them that they are eligible to register to vote.
“We have several people in the community that will be researching and visiting each person on the list throughout the County. If you have applied or would like to check to see if your rights have been restored please contact Yvette Lewis, NAACP Political Action Chair at (813) 234-8683.”
