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Federal Judge Rules Florida Law Restricting Voting Rights For Felons Unconstitutional

A U.S. District judge has ruled that the law, which would have required felons to pay court-related debts before they can register to vote, discriminates against those who cannot afford the payments.
A tour bus, sponsored by the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition, pulls up to a Miami-Dade County courthouse ahead of a hearing aimed at restoring the right to vote under Florida's Amendment 4 on Nov. 8, 2019.

In a decision with potentially far-reaching implications for November's election, a federal judge in Florida has determined a state law that would have required felons to pay any outstanding court fees and fines before they can register to vote is unconstitutional.

The ruling on Sunday by U.S. District Judge Robert L. Hinkle moves hundreds of thousands of

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