>I guess this is one of those States' Rights issues that should get
>decided by the Supremes. As for me, I think if you're in jail you
>shouldn't get to vote, but if you're out, you should.
There are no good reasons for arguing that people in jail should not be entitled to vote. If your reasoning is that voting is a privilege, removal of which is an effective deterrent, you are deranged. If your reasoning is that people who are imprisoned are inclined to vote in a way that you might disapprove of, then you fail to grasp the notion of democracy.
OTOH, there are strong reasons to argue that prisoners should retain the right to vote.
*It amounts to indirect racial discrimination, in the context that racial minorities are often over-represented in the prisoner population
*It is a breach of article 25 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
Bill Bartlett Bracknell Tas