Fighting a modern-day poll tax

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Dear Friend,

Last November, Florida voters proved that they believe in second chances by overwhelmingly passing a ballot measure to restore the right to vote to their fellow Floridians with past convictions. But the state legislature and the governor think they know better.

Late on Friday, Governor DeSantis signed a new law that withholds the right to vote if you owe fines and fees from a past conviction. If you don’t have the money, you’re out of luck.

Campaign Legal Center just filed a new lawsuit in Florida to say: Your right to vote should never depend on your ability to pay, period. Help us protect the sacred right to vote by making a gift today. ([link removed])

As they reenter society after a felony conviction, many people find themselves saddled with court fees or additional fines. If you’re wealthy, no problem: you can pay immediately and get back your right to vote. If you can’t come up with the thousands (sometimes tens of thousands) of dollars, you might instead find yourself in a cycle of debt that keeps you from casting a ballot for decades.

Our client in this case, Bonnie Raysor, has done a lot since completing her prison sentence: she kicked her addiction, earned her college degree and teaches Sunday school. But on her current payment plan, she won’t have paid off her court fees – and regained her right to vote – until 2031.

Help us stand up for voters like Bonnie. Your donation gives us critical resources to fight voter suppression in court. ([link removed])

You can get to know Bonnie by reading more about her story on our website. ([link removed])

Thank you – we’ll keep you updated as our case progresses.

Danielle Lang
CLC Co-Director, Voting Rights & Redistricting

P.S. Thank you for being our ally. With your support, we can continue to monitor and fight discriminatory voting laws, nationwide ([link removed])

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Campaign Legal Center, a nonpartisan organization based in Washington, D.C., is home to the nation's premier election law experts. We are the lawyers for our democracy, fighting for your fundamental right to participate in the political process.

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