Restoring Voting Rights

IN 2018, FLORIDA VOTERS PASSED AMENDMENT 4 RESTORING VOTING RIGHTS TO MOST PEOPLE WITH PAST FELONY CONVICTIONS WHO HAD COMPLETED ALL TERMS OF THEIR SENTENCE AS THE MIDTERMS APPROACH. WTC'S KERRY BARBER LOOKED INTO HOW PEOPLE CAN BE SURE THEY CAN EXERCISE THAT RIGHT >> LET'S WITH SINGER WAS OLD ENOUGH TO VOTE, BUT IT JUST NEVER CARED TO BEFORE HE WENT TO PRISON. >> IT WAS CHARGED WITH A DUI MANSLAUGHTER IN 2003, IT WAS AT A BASEBALL GAME, HAD A COUPLE DRINKS. IT'S A GAME SHOW HOME WITH MY FRIEND IN THE CAR. WRECKED A CAR AND KILLED MY FRIEND. I WAS IN THE DELAYED ENTRY PROGRAM FOR THE AIR FORCE THAT WAS EVEN LIVING IN FLORIDA AT THE TIME I CAME HERE TO SPEND TIME WITH MY PARENTS BEFORE I WENT TO BOOT CAMP. AND THE AND SO I WASN'T OUT, YOU KNOW, RUN IN THE STREETS AND DOING THINGS THAT SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN IN TROUBLE AS BEING ALL AMERICAN KID. A BASEBALL GAME JUST MADE A TERRIBLE, TERRIBLE DECISION. AND AND HAD THE TO PAY THE CONSEQUENCES OF THAT. AND SO GOING TO PRISON ALMOST I WAS STILL AT THE DOWNTOWN FORT MYERS JAIL. I STARTED TO DO MY PAPERWORK TO BE ABLE TO GET MY RIGHTS RESTORED BECAUSE I KNEW HOW IMPORTANT THAT WAS. >> WITH SINGER WAS RELEASED IN 2011 AMENDMENT 4 PASSED IN 2018. GRANTING THE VOTE TO FELONS WHO HAD SERVED THEIR TIME HAVEN'T BEEN CONVICTED OF MURDER OR OFFENSE AND HAD PAID ALL THEIR FINES AND FEES BY THEN WITH SINGER WAS ENTHUSIASTICALLY READY TO VOTE. >> IN 2020, I WAS ABLE TO VOTE FOR THE FIRST TIME AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT. SO A GROUP OF ABOUT 60 OF US MET AT THE MOUNT OLIVE CHURCH AND WE ALL HAD SIGNS AND THIS IS 2020, SO IS COVID. SO WAS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT AS IT WAS ANYWAYS. AND WE MARCHED DOWN THE STREET AND WENT TO THE KERRY, THE ROBINSON CENTER IN FORT MYERS AND GOT THE VOTE. THERE'S ABOUT 10 OF US THAT VOTED THAT DAY. AND WHEN I WENT INTO VO, I CAME OUT TO A CROWD OF PEOPLE THAT WERE CHEERING AND ALL EXCITED. AND I'VE TOLD PEOPLE I WISH EVERYONE HAD THE ABILITY TO HAVE THAT TYPE OF FANFARE FOR THE FIRST TIME THEY VOTE BECAUSE IT WOULD SHOW HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO BE ABLE TO USE YOUR VOICE LIKE THAT. FOR US, YOU KNOW, HAVING MY VOICE TAKEN FROM ME AND HAVE IT RESTORED AND THAT TYPE OF SITUATION WAS JUST ALMOST OVERWHELMING. IT WAS SO EXCITING TO GO THROUGH THAT. >> EVENTUALLY HE WENT TO WORK FOR THE FLORIDA RIGHTS RESTORATION COALITION 501, C 3. THAT WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN THE PASSAGE OF AMENDMENT 4 AND CONTINUES TO WORK FOR THE RIGHTS OF FORMER FELONS OR RETURNING CITIZENS AS MANY PREFER TO CALL THEMSELVES. >> I KEPT THINKING I WAS LIKE THAT'S NEVER GOING TO CHANGE. THERE'S NOBODY OUT THERE DOING THAT WORK. YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO WAY THAT CARES ABOUT US BEING IN THE SYSTEM AND NOW HERE I AM ACTUALLY THAT PERSON THAT I DIDN'T BELIEVE EXISTED. SO IT'S KIND OF FULL CIRCLE. AND IN AS I CAME HOME, I SAW HOW HARD IT WAS LIKE. I STILL HAVE A HARD TIME. I CAN'T RENT AN APARTMENT BECAUSE I HAVE A FELONY. THERE ARE CERTAIN JOBS THAT I CAN'T DO IT BECAUSE OF A FELONY HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH WHAT MY CHARGES. IT'S JUST THE FACT THAT I HAVE THE THAT'S TODAY. >> TODAY HE'S ON HIS SECOND TOUR WITH THE FLORIDA RIGHTS RESTORATION COALITION NOW SERVING AS CAMPAIGN MANAGER. HE HELPS HIS FELLOW RETURNING CITIZENS GET THEIR VOTING RIGHTS BACK AND HE KNOWS THE PATH THEY SHOULD TAKE. >> SO THE FIRST THING YOU WANT TO DO IS CHECK WITH THEIR CLERK OF COURTS AND SEE IF YOU DO OWN ANY FINES AND FEES YOU CAN CALL OUR HOTLINE AND THEY CAN ALSO HELP. LOOK SOME OF THAT STUFF UP. WE CAN ALSO ADD ADVISORY OPINIONS THAT ARE WRITTEN SO THAT MAYBE IF YOU CAN'T PAY YOUR FINES AND FEES, YOU CAN DO SOME COMMUNITY SERVICE. >> WITH SINGER SAYS HE HASN'T MISSED AN ELECTION SINCE THAT FIRST ONE IN 2020 AND HIS FAVORITE PART OF THE PROCESS IS KNOWING THAT HIS OPINION MATTERS. >> FEELING LIKE I HAVE A VOICE, A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T VOTE BECAUSE THEY THINK IT DOESN'T MATTER UNTIL YOU HAVE THAT TAKEN AWAY FROM YOU. AND YOU REALIZE JUST HOW IMPORTANT THAT ACTUALLY IS. >> WITH VIDEOGRAPHY AND IN SCORE WITH THE MORE I'M CARY BARBOR FOR WGCU NEWS.