http://news.bostonherald.com/politics/view...articleid=69208

Kerry, Clinton rock the vote with new bill
By Noelle Straub

Friday, February 18, 2005WASHINGTON - Ex-felons would win the right to vote in federal elections - as long as they served their time and completed probation - under a bill backed by Sen. John F. Kerry [related, bio] and his possible 2008 rival, Sen. Hillary Clinton.

``Those who have paid their debt to society and stayed out of trouble should participate in federal elections because that is part of being a good citizen,'' Kerry spokesman David Wade said.

Clinton outlined the Count Every Vote Act yesterday with Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and Rep. Stephanie Tubb Jones (D-Ohio), who forced a congressional debate on the certification of the 2004 election results.

Kerry, who vowed to push for election reform after voting irregularities in the November election, said the bill was not meant to question those results.

``This has nothing to do with me,'' he said. ``This is a right, an American right.''

The bill would make Election Day a federal holiday and provide voters a paper receipt if they vote on electronic machines.

It would also require early voting in every state, allow all voters to register on Election Day and prevent officials of voting machine manufacturing companies to engage in certain political activities.

Republican senators also introduced a bill yesterday focused largely on preventing voter fraud.

I like the bill. I have always thought that if a person is rehabilitated and has served their time and released by being deemed suitable to re-enter society they should have their rights re-instated.

I always thought that going to jail for even a felony should not mean a revokation of your basic constiutional rights.