A federal trial is underway Monday that could help settle whether impoverished Florida felons can be denied the right to vote.
Voters overwhelmingly approved Amendment 4 in 2018 that allowed felons to regain the right to vote. But, in January 2019, the Republican-controlled Florida Legislature passed a bill that was later signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis stipulating that felons must pay all legal financial obligations before their voting rights can be restored.
A consolidated class action suit before a U.S. District judge in Tallahassee will consider the constitutional merits of that law. The lawsuit is on behalf of the 17 original plaintiffs but also means a final decision from the court could apply to more than 430,000 people who could vote if legal financial obligations weren't in the way, according to CNN.
In a state that holds great sway in national politics, the case could have wide ramifications. The trial also comes as the deadline to register to vote in Florida's August primary is July 20.
Before the amendment's passage, Florida was one of only three states that permanently disenfranchised felons unless their rights were restored by a clemency board.
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