▁ 6 , ▁ 2 0 1 8 ▁election , ▁Flor id ians ▁voted ▁ 6 5 % ▁in ▁favor ▁of ▁Am end ment ▁ 4 ▁to ▁allow ▁people ▁conv icted ▁of ▁a ▁fel ony ▁-- ▁except ▁murder ▁or ▁sexual ▁ab use ▁-- ▁to ▁reg ain ▁their ▁voting ▁rights ▁after ▁the ▁completion ▁of ▁their ▁sentences . ▁Pre viously , ▁Florida ▁had ▁been ▁one ▁of ▁four ▁remaining ▁states ▁that ▁maintained ▁the ▁lifetime ▁ban . ▁▁ ▁Republic ans ▁in ▁Florida ' s ▁state ▁legisl ature ▁have ▁required ▁ex - fel ons ▁to ▁pay ▁off ▁existing ▁fe es ▁before ▁reg aining ▁their ▁right ▁to ▁vote , ▁an ▁extra ▁step ▁critics ▁have ▁compared ▁to ▁a ▁poll ▁tax . ▁ ▁History ▁Fel ony ▁dis enf ranch is ement ▁in ▁Florida ▁began ▁with ▁the ▁ 1 8 3 8 ▁rat ification ▁of ▁the ▁state ▁constitution . ▁Article ▁VI ▁Section ▁ 1 3 ▁of ▁the ▁original ▁state ▁constitution ▁states , ▁“ la ws ▁shall ▁be ▁made ▁by ▁the ▁General ▁Assembly , ▁to ▁exclude ▁from ▁office , ▁and ▁from ▁suff rage , ▁those ▁who ▁shall ▁have ▁been ▁or ▁may ▁there after ▁be ▁conv icted ▁of ▁b ri ber y , ▁per j ury , ▁forg ery , ▁or ▁other ▁high ▁crime , ▁or ▁mis de mean or .” ▁This ▁law ▁took ▁effect ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 5 ▁when ▁Florida ▁became ▁a ▁U . S . ▁state ▁and ▁remained ▁largely ▁int act ▁despite ▁notable ▁word ing ▁changes ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 8 ▁and ▁ 1 9 6 8 ▁until ▁