Election 2012

Ex-Felons Need a Credit Report to Vote in Iowa

I can see how ex-felons might have to jump through a few bureaucratic hoops to regain their voting rights after serving time, but this Iowa law is totally ridiculous.

Ex-felons, for example, have to complete a lengthy questionnaire that includes the address of the judge who handled the conviction, pay a filing fee, and submit a full credit report.

What does a credit report have to do with anything? I suppose in this era of increased corporate participation in our elections, they might want to make sure you don't owe them any money. Yeah, sorry, your credit card bill was late four years ago. No vote for you.

I don't know. But obviously that's all beside the point. This is another right-wing method of disenfranchising lower-income and minority Americans.