--:-- Sean Rameswaram: Welcome to Today Explained. I'm Sean Rameswaram.
--:-- Noel King: And I'm Noel King.
--:-- Sean Rameswaram: Today, we're talking about a ballot initiative in Florida that could re-enfranchise over a million people.
--:-- Noel King: That's right. And to explain what that means, we have Demetrius Jifunza with us. He's the chapter president of the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition and the vice president of the Sarasota NAACP.
--:-- Demetrius Jifunza: Thanks for having me on the show.
--:-- Sean Rameswaram: So, Demetrius, let's start with your story. You were 17 when you got involved in an armed robbery. You were sentenced to three years minimum mandatory with 11 months followed by two years probation.
--:-- Demetrius Jifunza: That's right. And at the time, I didn't really think about the consequences of losing my right to vote. It wasn't until I was in prison, a couple of years in, that I started to think about it more seriously.
--:-- Noel King: And what was going through your mind when you realized you'd lost your right to vote?
--:-- Demetrius Jifunza: Well, it was a lot to take in. I mean, I was already in a tough situation, and to think that I'd lost something as fundamental as my right to vote... it was a lot to process.
--:-- Sean Rameswaram: And how did you feel about it?
--:-- Demetrius Jifunza: I felt a lot of regret, to be honest. I felt like I'd made a mistake, and now I was paying for it in a way that felt unfair.
--:-- Noel King: And how did you start to think about getting your right to vote back?
--:-- Demetrius Jifunza: Well, I started to look into it more seriously in my early 30s. I wanted to be involved in situations that mattered, and I wanted to have a voice in the things that affected my community.
--:-- Sean Rameswaram: And what did you learn about the process of getting your right to vote back?
--:-- Demetrius Jifunza: I learned that it's a long and difficult process. You have to file a formal petition with the governor's office, and then you have to wait for a public hearing. And even then, there's no guarantee that you'll get your rights back.
--:-- Noel King: And what was it like waiting for that hearing?
--:-- Demetrius Jifunza: It was frustrating, to say the least. I felt like I was being punished again, even though I'd already served my time.
--:-- Sean Rameswaram: And what happened at the hearing?
--:-- Demetrius Jifunza: Well, I was denied. And even though I was denied, I still don't know why. I was told that it was because of the governor's discretion, but I was never given a clear reason.
--:-- Noel King: And how did that make you feel?
--:-- Demetrius Jifunza: It made me feel like I was being treated unfairly again. Like I was still being punished for a mistake I made when I was 17.
--:-- Sean Rameswaram: And now, with the ballot initiative on November 6, you could have your right to vote back.
--:-- Demetrius Jifunza: That's right. And it would mean a lot to me. It would mean that I'm no longer being punished for a mistake I made when I was 17.
--:-- Noel King: And what do you think this initiative could mean for Florida as a whole?
--:-- Demetrius Jifunza: I think it could be a game-changer. It could mean that over a million people get their right to vote back, and that could have a significant impact on the state's politics.
--:-- Sean Rameswaram: And what do you think about the argument that people who commit felonies should lose their right to vote?
--:-- Demetrius Jifunza: I think that's a flawed argument. I think that once you've served your time, you should have your rights back. It's not about being punished again; it's about being given a second chance.
--:-- Noel King: And what do you say to people who say that this initiative is too lenient?
--:-- Demetrius Jifunza: I say that it's about fairness. It's about giving people a second chance and allowing them to participate in the democratic process.
--:-- Sean Rameswaram: And finally, what do you hope people take away from your story?
--:-- Demetrius Jifunza: I hope they understand that people who commit felonies are not inherently bad people. We're people who made mistakes, and we deserve a second chance.
--:-- Noel King: Thanks, Demetrius, for sharing your story with us.
--:-- Demetrius Jifunza: Thanks for having me.
--:-- Sean Rameswaram: And now, let's talk to Steve Bosquet, the Tallahassee Bureau Chief of the Tampa Bay Times.
--:-- Steve Bosquet: Thanks for having me on the show.
--:-- Noel King: So, Steve, can you explain the current system for restoring voting rights in Florida?
--:-- Steve Bosquet: Sure. In Florida, you have to wait five years after completing your sentence before you can file a formal petition with the governor's office to have your voting rights restored.
--:-- Sean Rameswaram: And what happens after that?
--:-- Steve Bosquet: You have to wait for a public hearing, and even then, there's no guarantee that you'll get your rights back.
--:-- Noel King: And what's the current status of Amendment 4, the ballot initiative that could change this system?
--:-- Steve Bosquet: Well, it's looking like it's going to be a close vote. But if it passes, it could mean that over a million people get their right to vote back.
--:-- Sean Rameswaram: And what do you think this could mean for Florida's politics?
--:-- Steve Bosquet: I think it could be a significant shift. It could mean that Democrats have a bigger advantage in voter registration, and that could have a big impact on the state's politics.
--:-- Noel King: And what do you think about the argument that people who commit felonies should lose their right to vote?
--:-- Steve Bosquet: I think that's a flawed argument. I think that once you've served your time, you should have your rights back.
--:-- Sean Rameswaram: And finally, what do you think about the current system for restoring voting rights in Florida?
--:-- Steve Bosquet: I think it's a mess. It's a complicated and difficult process that's not fair to people who've already served their time.
--:-- Noel King: Thanks, Steve, for sharing your expertise with us.
--:-- Steve Bosquet: Thanks for having me.
--:-- Sean Rameswaram: And that's all for today's show. Thanks for listening.
--:-- Noel King: And don't forget to check out Vox's new YouTube show, where we'll be answering your biggest questions about the world.
--:-- Sean Rameswaram: And you can submit your questions at vox.com/showme.
--:-- Noel King: Thanks for listening, and we'll see you next time.
--:-- Sean Rameswaram: Bye.
