The right thing to do: State should move quickly to restore ex-felons' civil rights

Even if it weren't the right thing to do, making it easier for former felons to regain their civil rights would be worthwhile for Florida, for one simple reason: It would help avoid the embarrassment of the controversial efforts to purge ineligible felons from the voting rolls. The 2004 purge list was so controversial, and flawed, that it had to be scrapped, despite its $2.2 million price tag. The 2000 list was also riddled with errors, led to lawsuits and contributed to questions about the validity of the outcome of Florida's close presidential race. But controversies over the felon purge list, however corrosive they may be to confidence in our state's electoral system, are not the best reason to change the way felons' rights are restored. Florida is one of a handful of states where convicted felons can be permanently barred from voting, holding public office or obtaining occupational licenses -- unless those civil rights are restored through an arduous clemency process. Attorney General Charlie Crist said it well this week when he discussed the need to make it less difficult for felons to win back the rights: "If you believe somebody has paid their debt to society and you believe in forgiveness, then wouldn't that be appropriate?" [more]

• Wisonsin hires firm that handled Florida voter list [more]