Minnesota justices leave felon voting issue to Legislature

By TRISHA AHMED and STEVE KARNOWSKI
Associated Press/Report for America

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Supreme Court has upheld state laws that prohibit people with felony convictions from voting until they finish their parole, and put the burden on the Legislature to decide whether voting rights should be restored when people leave prison. Supreme Court Justice Paul Thissen said in the majority opinion that there may be “many compelling reasons” to change the law, but that the state’s constitution does not currently entitle people with felony convictions to vote. An attorney for the ACLU expressed disappointment with the court decision and said more than 50,000 Minnesotans, who are disproportionately people of color, will remain disenfranchised unless the Senate acts.