When fathers are unable to pay their child support, the government employs numerous abusive tactics against them, including seizing their driver’s licenses and passports, and even jailing them. Here’s a new one–a Tennessee law prevents some men from voting based on child support. The ACLU, to its credit, is fighting the law.
Ned Holstein, MD, MS, Executive Director of Fathers & Families, writes:
Have “poll taxes” — a Jim Crow practice designed to keep African-Americans and poor people out of the voting booth — returned to Tennessee?
In 2006, the Tennessee legislature passed reforms to allow convicted felons to regain voting rights after serving their time. Amendments were attached specifying that voting rights could not be regained unless all criminal restitution payments and child support were current. Approximately 48% of Tennessee male prisoners are African American, and the vast majority of those of all races who are behind on child support are indigent. So the bottom line is, Tennessee has come up with yet another way to keep large numbers of African Americans and poor people from voting
The American Civil Liberties Union - initially a supporter of the reform effort — sued Tennessee state and county officials in February to eliminate the provisions about child support and restitution. It represents three men who have served their time but cannot regain the right to vote because of the amendments.
Said Plaintiff Terence Johnson, “I’ve served my time, I am a taxpaying citizen and I have custody of my daughter. It is wrong for the state to punish me and other people while we get our lives back on track.”
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