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9th Circuit puts hold on felon voter ruling … for now

9th Circuit puts hold on felon voter ruling … for now

The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has agreed to temporarily suspend their ruling that threw out Washington’s longstanding ban on voting by felons. The court granted the request by Secretary of State Sam Reed, Attorney General Rob McKenna and Governor Chris Gregoire to place a hold on the controversial ruling while the state pursues a challenge to the U.S. Supreme Court. The court granted the request Thursday in a three-paragraph order, agreeing to not issue a “mandate” that would have…

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Felon voter update: State will appeal to high court

Felon voter update: State will appeal to high court

Attorney General Rob McKenna and Secretary of State Sam Reed of Washington will ask the U.S. Supreme Court to hear the state’s appeal of the  Tuesday’s federal court ruling that overturned the state’s longstanding practice of not allowing felons to vote while in prison or on community supervision.  Governor Gregoire, herself a former attorney general, says she strongly supports the move. The state will also quickly ask the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to put its ruling on hold while…

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9th Circuit throws out Wash. ban on felon voting

9th Circuit throws out Wash. ban on felon voting

The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has thrown out Washington’s longstanding ban on voting by felons. The surprise 2-1 ruling comes in a case brought in U.S. District Court in Eastern Washington almost 14 years ago by Muhammad Shabazz Farrakhan and three other black inmates, and by a Native American and a Latino inmate.  The inmates said minorities are disproportionately prosecuted and sentenced to prison, and that their automatic disenfranchisement violates the federal Voting Rights Act. The Appeals bench concurred…

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Re: WA green-lights voting rights for ex-cons

Re: WA green-lights voting rights for ex-cons

Governor Gregoire has signed legislation allowing ex-convicts to get their voting rights restored once they’re served their prison sentences and community supervision. Secretary Reed, who strongly backed the measure, told a celebration after the bill-signing that it was “clearly the right thing to do,” because it improves election administration and fosters responsible civic behavior by ex-felons when they return to their home communities. Reed and the prime sponsors, Representative Jeannie Darnielle of Tacoma and Senator Jeanne Kohl-Welles of Seattle, flanked the governor as she signed…

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