03 June 2024

Trump, as convicted felon, kicked off ballot in some states?

I noted on Talkingpointsmemo.com that the State of Washington prohibits convicted felons who have not had their rights restored from running for office. This would not have a huge effect on the election, since there's no way Donald Trump could win Washington anyway. But it occurred to me to ask ChatGPT (not 100% reliable, but basically usually accurate) about other states with similar laws. Here is its response.

  There are some states with specific laws concerning felons running for public office, although the details can vary widely from state to state:
 
Florida: Convicted felons must have their civil rights restored to be eligible to run for public office.
Virginia: Requires the restoration of civil rights for eligibility, and in some cases, a pardon is required specifically to restore the eligibility to seek public office.
Kentucky: Convicted felons need a pardon to restore their eligibility to run for public office, depending on the nature of their crimes.
Nevada: Individuals convicted of a felony are disqualified from holding any state office unless they have received an official pardon. [This would presumably not apply to presidential candidates.]
Connecticut: Individuals convicted of specific felony charges (corrupt practices related to public office or voting) are permanently barred from holding public office unless they receive a pardon.
Louisiana: Felons must wait five years after completing their sentence before they can qualify to run for public office unless they have received a pardon that specifically restores these rights.
Mississippi: Convicted felons are barred from running for public office unless pardoned or their rights are restored by the state legislature through a bill of relief.
 
  These laws are subject to changes, and other states might also have various restrictions, so it's always good to check the most current and applicable laws or consult with a legal expert for the most accurate and up-to-date information.

I can think of ways especially red states can, and probably will, "fix" this from Trump's point of view, but it's an interesting new wrinkle in the whole scenario of whether America is about to elect its first full-on fascist would-be dictator, or not. Interesting times.

(One issue not addressed, which may apply in Florida, is that states may have comity with other states such that if the felon would not be barred in the state where convicted, these state laws might not apply).

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