FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contacts:

CJ Frogozo, 310.570.2622, cj@fitzgibbnmedia.com

Madison Donzis, 210.488.6220, madison@fitzgibbonmedia.com

**VIEW PETITION HERE: http://iam.colorofchange.org/petitions/ask-florida-gubernatorial-candidates-about-a-constitutional-amendment-guaranteeing-the-right-to-vote/**

Miami, FL — Earlier this week, Florida New Majority member leader Harold Pendas started a petition on Iam.ColorOfChange.org urging Florida Gubernatorial debate moderators and panelists to ask the candidates: if elected, if they will support amendments to the Florida constitution that ensure the right to vote is guaranteed and allow previously incarcerated people to vote. Nearly one thousand Floridians have already signed the petition. The next debate is tonight at Broward College and will be moderated by Elliot Rodriguez with panelists Rosemary Goudreau and Frank Denton and social media panelists Bob Gabordi, Manny Garcia, Patricia Mazzei, and Jeremy Wallace.

Rashad Robinson, Executive Director of ColorOfChange.org said, “Governor Scott has consistently attacked Black Floridians freedom to vote through cuts to early voting, illegal voter purges, and criminal disenfranchisement laws aimed at creating a permanent second tier of Black voting-age Floridians who are denied their civil rights. Florida voters deserve to hear from Rick Scott and Charlie Crist how they will protect our freedom to vote, if elected.”

Florida is the epicenter of the right wing attack on the rising new majority’s freedom to vote. Since 2011, the far-right in Florida has tried to pass more than 180 laws intended to restrict voting rights and keep Black voters, young people, women, Latino communities and other voters of color from the polls.

Gihan Perera, Executive Director of Florida New Majority, said, “Basic democracy has been denied for millions of Floridians. In Florida, voting rights are subject to racial profiling. Governor Scott and members of his party have sought to intentionally suppress the Black vote in particular, but Scott also led a purge on immigrant voters. Over 1.5 million citizens are barred from voting because a broken criminal justice system and Scott made it nearly impossible for returning citizens to get their voting rights back. All of this for political gain. It’s time to move forward for an inclusive Florida for where voting is a fundamental right for all. It is time to hear where the candidates stand on these issues. They must put it on the record for all of Florida to hear.”

Of the 6 million people nationwide who are disenfranchised by previous criminal convictions, one-quarter of them are in Florida. Nearly 23% of eligible Black voters in Florida are barred from voting.

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With over 900,000 members, ColorOfChange.org is the nation’s largest online civil rights organization.

Florida New Majority is a statewide voter participation organization working to empower women, African-Americans, Latinos, new immigrants communities, and young people to fully participate in the political process toward an inclusive, fair, and vibrant democracy.