Felons Have Right to Vote

Voting is the most important right in a democratic society because it is the basis of all

other rights within the society. To disenfranchise an entire group of citizens in a democratic

society is to violate the very principles of democracy. Because the right to vote is so essential to

the preservation of a democratic society, felons ought to retain the right to vote.

Felons are denied their right to just representation when they are disenfranchised. The

right to vote is a natural right for all naturalized citizens in a democratic society. Felons are no

exception. Although felons have broken the rule with society, they are given their due by the

removal of their rights while in prison. The completion of a felon serving out their sentence in

prison is a just punishment, however taking away their right to vote is an act that strips felons

their right to be represented in government. When a democratic society does not allow a certain

group of people to participate in government, they are essentially ignoring that population

and denying them representation. When looking at felons, disfranchisement especially skews

representation because it puts minorities and the underprivileged at an extreme disadvantage.

Also, just representation is paramount for the preservation of a democratic society. Since

its birth in ancient Europe, many derivatives of a democratic society have been formed. From

a direct democracy to a constitutional democracy to a republic, the most key component to a

democratic society is the right for all citizens to have a say in political, economic, and social

decisions made by the government. Just representation is not the only aspect of a government

that makes it democratic but it is the most necessary to the preservation of a democratic society

because it is the basis for the founding of the very system. The votes of all people ought to be

weighed equally in order to prevent democracy from becoming a tyranny of a certain group.

Without just representation for minorities, such as felons, a democratic society becomes

democratic only in name.

In order to preserve a democratic society, felons must be given just representation. Democracy

was founded on the premise that all citizens ought to have their voices heard. The haves, the

have-nots, and everyone in between deserve a say in how they are governed and how social,

economic, and political choices are made in the society because every person feels in impact

of these decisions. For these reasons felons ought to be given the right to vote. If they, too, are

citizens of a democratic society then they are entitled to just representation. The wrongs that they

have committed against society are taken into account when they serve their sentence so there

is no reason to deny them participation in government. One of the most important democratic

ideals is the idea that citizens of a society should not be silenced because of the decisions they

make or the beliefs that they hold, instead they are entitled to a voice in government simply

because they are the governed. Not only must felons be given the right to vote to promote

democracy by also to better society. In order to preserve the very ideals of a democratic society,

felons must be given just representation in politics through the right to vote.

However, even non-felons are capable of bad judgment. If we are disenfranchising felons

because of a bad decision and/or bad decision-making, there are plenty of other people who

shouldn't be allowed to vote. The society cannot set that standard of good decision versus bad

decision in any absolute form regarding elections.

Overall, Felon should have right to vote felons should have minimal rights and law

protections for themselves, and voting is a fundamental for democratic country. Also, since we

can’t discriminate people with decision making, felons should have right to vote.