Bloomberg raises $16 million to help Florida felons pay fines to vote in November

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Former New York Mayor and Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg has raised $16 million to help pay the outstanding fines and fees of felons in Florida, allowing them to regain their voting rights ahead of Election Day. The initiative combines funds raised by Bloomberg in the past week from prominent individuals and foundations with $5 million raised by the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition to target 32,000 felons in Florida who are already registered to vote and owe less than $1,500 as part of their restitution.

Bloomberg said in a statementmt, he right to vote is fundamental to our democracy and no American should be denied that right. Working together with the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition, we are determined to end disenfranchisement and the discrimination that has always driven it.

Florida is a hotly contested state in the November presidential election with President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden locked in a virtual tie, according to recent polls. Trump won the state in 2016 by 1.2 percentage points, a less than 113,000 vote difference.

Bloomberg’s effort to help pay fines is separate from the $100 million he pledged to help Biden in the Sunshine State.