1.5 million Americans are now eligible to vote in the state of Florida! In 2018, the people of Florida voted by a 65% majority to amend the state constitution to allow people who were convicted of felonies and have served their time to regain the right to vote.

Florida remains the most important swing state with 29 electoral votes and this amendment will drastically change the state’s electorate.

Although the amendment the people voted for had no restrictions, the republican state legislature and governor enacted a bill that forces all returning citizens wishing to register to vote to first pay off all fines and fees associated with their incarceration. These fees include paying for prison uniforms, prison food, court processing fees and often $50 for each day of incarceration. Florida Court Clerks reported that Florida prison debt is more than $1 billion!

The Florida State Supreme Court has ruled that returning citizens must pay their prison fines and fees before they can vote. Any federal court ruling "is expected to be appealed, likely delaying any resolution until after the 2020 elections." The Republican Florida legislature is already working to update the law to ensure that these fines and fees are requirements for voting in the 2020 election. The time to act is now!

Michael Bloomberg, you said you are willing to spend $1 billion of your own money to beat Trump in the 2020 elections (even if you're not the Democratic nominee.) Tom Steyer, you spent $123 million in the 2018 election and have spent over $100 million on your 2020 campaign.

Show us how billionaires can change our democracy for the better, please donate $100 million to pay off the prison debt of these returning citizens so they can vote in the 2020 election. Bloomberg, $100 million is less than what your net worth grew in the last week!

Not only would you help a million Americans in Florida to vote, but you would also help lift tens of millions of their family members by removing a giant block of debt from their households. Along with voting rights, these fines affect credit scores and drivers licenses. (77% of drivers licenses are suspended in Florida not for reckless driving but for unpaid fines.)

There are already great non-profits, like the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition, which are working to raise money to pay off Florida felon debts to make them eligible to vote again. Donations to pay off these debts are tax-deductible.

Please, Michael Bloomberg and Tom Steyer, pay off a substantial portion of the prison fines and fees of these returning citizens so they can vote in Florida!