California jailbirds get to vote starting next year

Capital Research Center Just days ago California Gov. Jerry Brown (D) signed into law a measure that effective next year reinstates the voting eligibility of felons on probation or under community supervision. Inmates in state and federal prisons are not covered by the new law. Apparently “community supervision” means “incarcerated in a county jail.” So criminals still serving their sentences will be allowed to vote in California. With the stroke of Brown’s pen, there could be up to 50,000 new voters in California.

Daniel Zingale, senior vice president of the California Endowment, a left-wing grant-maker, was thrilled. He spewed politically correct nonsense, as one might expect. “California is stronger and healthier when more people participate in the electoral process,” he said. “Mass disenfranchisement for minor offenses is a tragic legacy of the Jim Crow era that disproportionately affects and diminishes the power of communities of color.” Both the California State Sheriffs’ Association and the California Police Chiefs Association opposed the bill. “We believe that there have to be consequences to your action, and the consequences of being a convicted felon are that you can’t vote and you can’t possess firearms,” said Kern County Sheriff Donny Youngblood, president of the sheriffs’ group.