Voters in Florida approved back in 2018 an amendment that would inevitably restore voting rights to individuals who had been imprisoned of felonies and served their time with a minority of exceptions.
However, politicians began to add hurdles to the rule almost immediately upon its inception. While a judge ruled earlier this year that one such pay-to-vote system was unconstitutional, the state’s Republican governor, Ron DeSantis, has filed an appeal.
One former Florida resident with a passion for voting rights has decided to get involved. In a release, LeBron James’ recently-launched voting rights group More Than a Vote announced that it is teaming up with the Florida Rights Restoration Commission to raise more than $100,000, which will go towards helping those who are disenfranchised due to the actions of Florida’s government by paying outstanding court fees.
Per the release, the funds will be raised off of proceeds from a screening of John Lewis: Good Trouble, a documentary film about the former civil rights leader and member of the U.S. House of Representatives who passed away last week.
More Than a Vote and the FRRC both announced the partnership on their respective Twitter accounts.
James also took to Twitter following the announcement, proclaiming that this law prevents ex-felons from “their constitutional right to vote” and specifically praising Udonis Haslem for his work on this front.
Haslem, a Florida native and James’ former teammate with the Miami Heat who is part of More Than a Vote, said in a statement that “your right to vote shouldn’t depend upon whether or not you can pay to exercise it.” According to Politico, the law disenfranchises up to 775,000 Floridians.
