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General Assembly overrides veto on felons voting

Posted at 5:21 PM, Feb 09, 2016
and last updated 2016-02-09 17:35:04-05

The Maryland General Assembly vote to override Gov. Larry Hogan's veto of a bill that would allow felons to vote while they are on parole or probation.

See also: Quandary in Maryland: Can lawmaker vote twice on same bill?

Hogan, a Republican, vetoed the measure in May. In his veto message, Hogan wrote that people on parole or mandatory supervision are still serving their time as a debt to society for their actions.

“Today, twenty-nine people in the Maryland Senate decided to ignore reason and common sense and support an action that the vast majority of Marylanders vehemently oppose. For too long, voters have been completely ignored by their elected representatives in Annapolis – it happened again today and our citizens deserve better," Doug Mayer, a spokesman for Hogan, said in a statement issued Tuesday.

Supporters say restoring voting rights is an important part of transitioning them back into society.

**WMAR Staff contributed to this report.

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