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Arguments Against Felon Voting Rights

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Opposing the Suppression of Felon Voting Rights
The opposition to voting disenfranchisement have two main arguments against these laws. First, many opponents argue that suppressing the voting rights of a felon past prison sentence is in violation of a citizen’s Eighth Amendment right. The Eighth Amendment protects citizens from cruel and unusual punishments. Only Florida, Iowa, and Virginia impose a complete loss of voting rights upon a felony conviction (National Conference of State Legislatures, 2016). Opponents of this type of punishment believe this to be especially harsh on offenders that have non-violent offenses and uphold the idea that voting in elections is “a citizen’s duty” and should not be taken away. Secondly, the next biggest

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