On Tuesday, Floridians will decide if 1.6 million people deserve a second chance. As the law stands now in the sunshine state, when it comes to the right to vote, 1.6 million ex-felons are left in the dark. This is the greatest number of ex-offenders who have lost their right to vote in any state. This could all change on Election Day, when residents will have the opportunity to vote on a constitutional amendment which would automatically restore voting rights to most convicted felons once they have finished serving their time. If passed, the amendment would affect more than 10 percent of Florida’s adult population – many of whom are Black.
What would it mean for Florida to have 10 percent of its adult population re-engaged in the voting process? It would mean that more Black residents would have a say in the people and laws that govern them. It would mean that certain counties would no longer be sure bets for any political party. It would mean that Florida as political analysts know it, could be a different playing ground in the 2020 presidential elections. The possibilities are endless, and as the nation’s oldest and largest civil rights organization, NAACP is determined to ensure that our civic engagement efforts focus on voter education, so our base is aware of this proposed amendment, among other issues they will be voting on come November 6.
As part of an aggressive civic engagement plan, NAACP in collaboration with GSSA, a Colorado data analytics firm, has committed to working to increase African American voter turnout in the 2018 midterm elections by targeting low and moderate propensity voters across six states, and Florida is one of those states. This plan sets the stage for these target population to become mobilized voting blocs over the next five years.
To be effective, the plan required groundwork, partnership, and no shortage of volunteers. In October, the Florida civic engagement team partnered with Unidos US to host a phone banking event for early voting, and on November 4, we’re sponsoring a statewide Souls to the Polls event. Nationwide, we’re calling on volunteers to join us in our Text Out the Vote challenge, an effective way to engage voters through peer-to-peer conversations.
On November 7, it is my hope that three things will have been accomplished: Florida voters invest In and lift up people directly impacted by a two-decade-old broken system, the removal of burdens that prohibit people from being able to vote (election protection), and lastly, a much narrower voter registration gap among Black, brown and white voters that will lead to more parity among all. But above all, I want for the African American community in Florida to have realized the power in their vote.
If you’ve voted early, thank you. You have helped this country move one step closer towards a true democracy. If you have yet to vote, there is still time. On November 6, vote! Our lives depend on it.
By Jasmine Burney-Clark
NAACP Civic Engagement, Florida
