Former President Donald Trump, now a convicted felon on 34 felony counts, is likely to still be able to vote in Florida this fall and could potentially vote for himself. Trump moved his residency to Florida in 2019, making it the state where he will seek to vote. Despite his upcoming sentencing hearing in July, Trump’s attorneys are expected to file appeals, and it remains unclear whether he will serve prison time. Florida state law allows residents with felony convictions elsewhere to vote as long as the conviction would not make them ineligible in the state where the conviction occurred.
According to the Florida Division of Elections, a Florida resident with a felony conviction elsewhere is only ineligible to vote if the conviction would make them ineligible in the state where the conviction occurred. In New York, where Trump was convicted, felons lose their right to vote while in prison for a felony conviction. However, once released from prison or if their sentence is suspended, they are eligible to vote. This means that Trump’s rights would likely be restored under New York law, allowing him to vote in Florida as well. Legal experts, including CBS News legal analyst Jessica Levinson, agree that Trump can vote as long as he is not incarcerated.
The ACLU of New York also supports the idea that people convicted of felonies can vote unless they are incarcerated. With Trump facing additional charges related to alleged election interference and classified documents, as well as other unknown cases, his ability to vote in Florida may remain unchanged. There are no trial dates set for the new charges at this time. Given New York’s law regarding convicted felons’ voting rights, as long as Trump does not receive a prison sentence, he should be able to vote in Florida this fall.
Despite his felony convictions, Trump’s ability to vote and potentially run for president again remains intact. As a resident of Florida and a former resident of New York, Trump falls under the voting laws of both states. With his upcoming sentencing hearing and potential appeals, it is uncertain whether he will serve time in prison. However, legal experts believe that Trump will still be able to exercise his right to vote in Florida this fall and potentially vote for himself in the presidential election.
