FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. _ Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is getting some heat for a tweet calling voting a "privilege," including a rebuke from 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.
The remark was posted after the Florida Supreme Court sided with DeSantis in a legal dispute over when felons should be able to cast ballots.
"Voting is a privilege that should not be taken lightly," a tweet posted on DeSantis' official Twitter account read.
Democrats chimed in that voting is a right, not a privilege.
"Voting isn't a privilege," Clinton tweeted. "It's a right. And requiring voters to pay off fines and fees to exercise that right is a modern-day poll tax."
Other Democrats, including Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried and state Rep. Shevrin Jones, joined in the criticism.
"Hey Florida: MLK saw voting as a RIGHT, not a privilege!," Jones wrote. "I just want to lift that up today before y'all start quoting him on Monday."
DeSantis told reporters at an event in Jacksonville that he didn't write the tweet that appeared on his page, according to a Florida Politics article.
"Well, first of all I don't tweet, so you can talk to my staff about what my words are," Florida Politics quoted DeSantis as saying.
The Twitter exchange is part of a dispute over Amendment 4, which restored voting rights to most Floridians with felony convictions.
The amendment approved by voters in 2018 stipulated that felons must "complete all terms of their sentence including parole or probation" before they could cast a ballot.
DeSantis is arguing that felons must pay all fines, fees and restitution before having their voting rights restored. Voting advocates say outstanding fees and fines shouldn't prevent felons from voting.
In its advisory opinion, the state's highest court agreed with the governor and Republicans lawmakers in the Legislature that all outstanding legal financial obligations must be fulfilled before voting rights can be restored.
The opinion isn't binding, but it could influence federal judges who will take up the issue.
The outcome could have big political ramifications in Florida, a crucial swing state in the upcoming presidential election.
The American Civil Liberties Union estimates about 1.4 million Floridians with felony convictions could be eligible to vote if the financial restrictions are lifted. But the group estimates about 80% of that population owes money.
