Jenny Triplett Examines Felon Disenfranchisement Voting Issues
Felony disenfranchisement is the practice of prohibiting people from voting (known as disenfranchisement) based on the fact that they have been convicted of a felony or other criminal offence. It therefore restricts and conflicts with principles of universal suffrage; the legitimacy of this practice is a matter of some controversy. (As noted and well defined in Wikipedia)
Jenny Triplett, co-Editor-in-Chief of Prisonworld Magazine examines this public problem from a personal perspective. Over 65 million Americans have criminal records. In most municipalities these records do not go away. It is hard to get them overturned, expunged or pardoned even if you are not guilty of the crime for which you are convicted. Millions of Americans are being denied the opportunity to exercise their right to vote due to a penalty to which they are currently paying or have already paid the price.
“A felony conviction should not revoke your rights, as an American citizen, to vote on laws for America or for persons who are candidates to govern American. Over 225 years ago when the US. Constitution was written, it did not deny anyone the fundamental right to vote. It saddens me that tax paying citizens are being silenced and left off of voter rolls and registers because of infractions of the past. This country really needs an enema,” says Jenny.
CLICK HERE to support Prisonworld
Currently there are two states, Maine and Vermont, which allow inmates to vote by absentee ballot while still incarcerated. Over 20 states allow voting privileges to be restored after incarceration and or parole or probation. 10 states including Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, South Carolina, and South Dakota do not allow voting while incarcerated for a misdemeanor.
Jenny further elaborates, “With over 2.4 million people incarcerated, this is a serious issue that needs to be addressed year round and not just at election time. Key states are examining whether or not to allow convicted felons the right to vote while they are out here contributing to society, paying income taxes and being productive citizens. As a condition of parole and probation you must maintain a job. With a job come taxes. Anyone who is paying taxes should be able to vote on how those taxes are being spent. Anyone who is paying taxes should have a say in who runs this country.”
Jenny Triplett is co-Editor-in-Chief of Prisonworld Magazine with her husband Rufus, which is published by Dawah International, LLC, a multimedia company. The magazine is printed on a bi-monthly basis and has a yearly readership of 350,000. They are co-hosts and co-producers of the weekly radio show the Prisonworld Radio Hour. Jenny is a requested speaker for correctional facilities, non-profit organizations, schools, radio and TV shows and print magazines. Rufus is a member of the group, Likely Suspect, which provides acapella entertainment for the speaking presentations. For more information about the magazine log onto www.prisonworldmagazine.com or contact Jenny Triplett 678-233-8286 or [email protected].
