Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis faced widespread backlash on Twitter after he called voting a “privilege,” including from former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
After Florida’s Supreme Court sided with DeSantis earlier this week on the issue of felons voting, ruling that ex-convicts must pay all fines and restitution before regaining their ability to vote, DeSantis, 41, announced the victory on Twitter, calling voting a “privilege.”
“I am pleased that @FLCourts confirms that Amendment 4 requires fines, fees & restitution be paid to victims before their voting rights may be restored. Voting is a privilege that should not be taken lightly, and I am obligated to faithfully implement Amendment 4 as it is defined,” the Republican governor said.
I am pleased that @FLCourts confirms that Amendment 4 requires fines, fees & restitution be paid to victims before their voting rights may be restored. Voting is a privilege that should not be taken lightly, and I am obligated to faithfully implement Amendment 4 as it is defined.
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) January 16, 2020
DeSantis’s announcement prompted swift blowback on social media. Former 2016 presidential candidate Hillary Clinton shot back, asserting that “voting isn’t a privilege. It’s a right.”
“Requiring voters to pay off fines and fees to exercise that right is a modern-day poll tax,” the former secretary of state said.
Voting isn’t a privilege. It’s a right. And requiring voters to pay off fines and fees to exercise that right is a modern-day poll tax. https://t.co/ySUMJDhiAC
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) January 17, 2020
Democrats in both the Florida legislature and Cabinet also chided DeSantis for his comment on the eve of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
“Hey Florida: MLK saw voting as a RIGHT, not a privilege! I just want to lift that up today before y’all start quoting him on Monday,” said Democratic Florida state Rep. Shevrin Jones said.
Hey Florida: MLK saw voting as a RIGHT, not a privilege! I just want to lift that up today before y’all start quoting him on Monday.
That’s all. That’s the message. ?
— Shevrin Jones (@ShevrinJones) January 17, 2020
“Voting is a right, not a privilege, Governor,” stated Nikki Fried, Florida’s Commissioner of Agriculture and member of the state’s Cabinet.
Voting is a right, not a privilege, Governor. https://t.co/KEBH58BdRY
— Commissioner Nikki Fried (@NikkiFriedFL) January 16, 2020
DeSantis responded to the controversy on Friday, telling reporters that he didn’t write the tweet, according to Florida Politics. “It’s kind of a word salad, it’s not necessarily how I talk,” he said.
The court ruling and social media controversy is part of an ongoing dispute over Amendment 4, a state constitutional measure passed during Florida’s 2018 elections. The measure effectively grants voting rights to all felons, excluding convicted murderers and rapists. The amendment, however, stipulates that felons must “complete all terms of their sentence including parole or probation” before voting. DeSantis argued this includes payment of all fines, fees, and restitution to the appropriate recipients.
