Crosspost from an editorial this morning from the Charlotte Observer editorial board:
Anthony Haith won a victory of sorts Monday. Haith is one of 12 people in Alamance County who faced prison time for voting in the 2016 presidential election while on probation from a felony sentence. Their cases had received some national attention in recent weeks, much of it focused on the Alamance County district attorney, a Republican who was scorned for being overzealous in prosecuting what appeared to be some well-meaning voters.
That DA, Pat Nadolski, relented Monday and allowed five of the 12 to have their cases dismissed as part of plea deals. Haith was one of the five, and he left the Alamance County courtroom to applause. But Haith didn’t feel like celebrating. Outside, he told reporters he’d been excited to vote — but no more. He would refrain from voting again, he vowed, and he said he would tell his four children also not to vote.
Don’t, Mr. Haith.
If you give up on voting, then you give in to the intent of a law that penalizes felons even after they’ve paid for their crimes. That law, as your attorney said Monday, is a vestige of a time when the state sought to disenfranchise African-American voters. It continues to do just that.
Read the rest of the editorial, posted Tuesday.