Rick's headline--"Iowa Governor Will Give Felons the Right to Vote"--might be slightly misleading. As I understand the NY Times article, the governor of Iowa has the power within his discretion to restore voting rights to former felons. The governor has said he will exercise his discretion to restore the rights of all former felons who have completed their sentences. But this does not mean that former felons have received the right to vote in Iowa. That is, this would not be binding on any future governors, who could withhold restoration in as many cases as they see fit. It is possible, though I don't think inevitable, that the move will be popular enough that future governors will be likely to continue in the same mode.
Best,
Daniel Lowenstein
UCLA Law School
405 Hilgard
Los Angeles, California 90095-1476
310-825-5148
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-election-law_gl@majordomo.lls.edu [mailto:owner-election-law_gl@majordomo.lls.edu] On Behalf Of Alyssa M Tramposch
Sent: Monday, June 20, 2005 11:47 AM
To: mmcdon@gmu.edu
Cc: 'election-law'
Subject: Re: Iowa felon vote
According to the NYT article, parolees would not be eligible yet either:
"The department of corrections will be responsible for submitting to the governor's office each month's list of eligible ex-felons: people who have completed their sentences, probation and parole."
Alyssa Tramposch
----- Original Message -----
From: Michael McDonald <mmcdon@gmu.edu>
Date: Monday, June 20, 2005 2:52 pm
Subject: Iowa felon vote
With regards to the Iowa governor's executive order, as I read the
newsreports, prisoners and parolees will still not be allowed to
vote. But I am
not certain about felons on probation - does anyone know if they
will be
allowed to vote?
==================================
Dr. Michael P. McDonald
Brookings Institution, Visiting Fellow
George Mason University, Assistant Professor
Dept of Public and International Affairs
4400 University Drive - 3F4
Fairfax, VA 22030-4444
Office: 703-993-4191
Fax: 703-993-1399
mmcdon@gmu.edu
http://elections.gmu.edu/
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-election-law_gl@majordomo.lls.edu
[mailto:owner-election-law_gl@majordomo.lls.edu]On Behalf Of Rick
HasenSent: Monday, June 20, 2005 12:02 PM
To: election-law
Subject: news of the day 6/20/05
"Tied Up in Knots"
See this editorial
<http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/opinions/articles/0619sun1-19.html
from the Arizona Republic on state voter i.d. rules.
"The Reform that Isn't"
Harold Myerson writes this article
<http://www.prospect.org/web/view-web.ww?id=9881> for The American
Prospect, with the subhead: "Chutzpah Department: Invoking McCain-
Feingold,House and Senate Republicans want to put progressive 527s out
of business."
"Dems stiffed counties on costs of recall election"
See this column
<http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-
bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/06/20/BAG4LDB4GM1.DTL> by Phillip Matier
and Andrew Ross in the San Francisco Chronicle.
Bauer Responds to Toner oped
See here
<http://www.moresoftmoneyhardlaw.com/articles/20050620.cfm> .
"Iowa Governor Will Give Felons the Right to Vote"
The New York Times offers this report
<http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/18/national/18iowa.html> . See also
thisreport
<http://www.dmregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050618/NEWS10/506180
330/1001/NEWS> from the Des Moines Register.
--
Rick Hasen
William H. Hannon Distinguished Professor of Law
Loyola Law School
919 Albany Street
Los Angeles, CA 90015-1211
(213)736-1466
(213)380-3769 - fax
rick.hasen@lls.edu <mailto:rick.hasen@lls.edu>
http://www.lls.edu/academics/faculty/hasen.html
http://electionlawblog.org