▁the ▁decision ▁to ▁re inst ate ▁voting ▁rights ▁falls ▁within ▁the ▁personal ▁dis cret ion ▁of ▁the ▁governor ▁and ▁the ▁cle men cy ▁board , ▁potentially ▁allowing ▁for ▁personal ▁bias ▁to ▁influence ▁dec isions . ▁The ▁state ' s ▁legisl ature ▁interven ed ▁and ▁required ▁ex - fel ons ▁to ▁pay ▁off ▁fe es ▁before ▁reg aining ▁their ▁right ▁to ▁vote , ▁a ▁requirement ▁critics ▁compared ▁to ▁a ▁poll ▁tax . ▁ ▁Statistics ▁According ▁to ▁Pro Con . org : ▁▁ 1 0 . 4 3 % ▁of ▁the ▁Florida ▁population ▁is ▁dis enf ranch ised ▁▁ 1 , 6 8 6 , 3 1 8 ▁total ▁Flor id ians ▁are ▁dis enf ranch ised . ▁ ▁Florida ▁has ▁the ▁most ▁dis enf ranch ised ▁citizens ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁ ▁Florida ▁has ▁the ▁highest ▁dis enf ranch is ement ▁rate ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁▁ 2 3 . 3 % ▁of ▁black ▁vot ers ▁in ▁Florida ▁can ’ t ▁vote ▁because ▁of ▁fel ony ▁dis enf ranch is ement . ▁ ▁Fel ony ▁class ifications ▁A ▁fel ony ▁is ▁“ a ▁crime , ▁typically ▁one ▁involving ▁violence , ▁regarded ▁as ▁more ▁serious ▁than ▁a ▁mis de mean or , ▁and ▁usually ▁pun ish able ▁by ▁imprison ment ▁for ▁more ▁than ▁one ▁year ▁or ▁by ▁death .” ▁▁ ▁In ▁Florida , ▁there ▁are ▁four ▁categories ▁of ▁fel on ies : ▁third - deg ree , ▁second - deg ree , ▁first - deg ree , ▁and ▁capital ▁or ▁life ▁fel on