The Associated Press
OLYMPIA, Wash. -- The state will appeal a judge’s ruling that restores voting rights to released felons who still owe court-imposed fines, officials said Wednesday.
A King County judge ruled Monday that the state’s requirement for released felons to pay fines and fees before they can vote again violates the equal-protection clauses in the U.S. and state constitutions.
But state Attorney General Rob McKenna and Secretary of State Sam Reed said legislatures have the right to “determine the process for restoring voting rights to felons.”
More than 250,000 released felons _ about 3.7 percent of the state’s population, are unable to vote, according to the state American Civil Liberties Union, which sued on behalf of three of them.
It is unclear how many are barred from voting solely because of outstanding court costs, though the state four years ago estimated there were more than 46,000.