Judge Hinkle Steps In To Aid Former Felons

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Florida Phoenix
Expert

Danielle Lang, representing the Campaign Legal Center, said whether the 2019 law constituted a "poll tax," which is prohibited by the 24th Amendment, was "at the heart of this case." Lang also said the payment obligation raises due process problems for the former felons, citing testimony that attempting to determine outstanding debt would involve multiple entities, ranging from local election supervisors to the state Division of Elections to court clerks to prosecutors and public defenders. "Voters are sent in a vicious cycle where everyone disclaims the ability to tell them their eligibility and points to someone else," Lang said. "All the while, the secretary of state has provided zero guidance to anyone to help them decipher this maze."

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