ST. PAUL, Minn. – Democrats in the Minnesota House passed a bill to restore voting rights for felons who have served their jail or prison time on Thursday.
“They are our neighbors, our friends. They have jobs. They help take care of their families. They pay taxes. But, in our representative government, they are deprived of the foundational right to vote,” bill sponsor Cedrick Frazier (D-New Hope) said.
Republicans said felons’ voting rights should not be restored until they’ve finished probation and paid all fines, fees and court-ordered restitution.
Cambridge Republican Rep. Brian Johnson told Democrats the victims live with consequences every day from the acts of offenders.
“You want to give them their rights back, before they finish their debt to society,” Johnson said.
