Supreme Court upholds ex-felon voting restriction in Florida

Close to 85,000 registered voters in Florida might be unable to participate in this election cycle, according to an estimate from the state’s Division of Elections. In a 6-3 vote, the Supreme Court on Thursday declined to lift a lower court’s stay that prevents Floridians with a past felony conviction from voting if they have unpaid fees, fines, or restitution. The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals will hear the case on Aug. 18, the same day as Florida’s primary.

How did the case get here? After Florida voters approved Amendment 4 to restore ex-felons’ voting rights in 2018, the state legislature passed a law requiring them to complete outstanding payments to be eligible. U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle issued a permanent injunction against the law in May, calling it a “pay-to-vote system.” The 11th Circuit overturned Hinkle’s injunction, allowing the requirement to stand. Florida lacks a central registry listing how much ex-felons owe, and officials said it could take six years to create one.

Dig deeper: Read Charissa Koh’s report in Compassion about the debate over the Florida law.