Amendment 4, the voting restoration amendment on Floridians’ ballot this November, has received broad support from Floridians from all walks of life – including leaders from veterans, faith, business, and law enforcement communities from across the Sunshine State.
The Second Chances Florida Campaign began as a grassroots effort with the unwavering dedication of countless volunteers. Now, Floridians from all walks of life have come together in support of voting Yes on Amendment 4.
Reverend Allison DeFoor of Jacksonville, former Monroe County Sheriff said, “Allowing citizens to earn back their eligibility to vote gives them a deeper stake in their community, making them less likely to reoffend. Passage of Amendment Four will make our communities safer and let us reduce spending on the criminal justice system. This is a win-win for Florida taxpayers and for all those who believe in the power of redemption.”
Career Navy veteran Anne Rawley previously served tours of duty in two war zones – first in Vietnam and later in Saudi Arabia during the First Gulf War. Anne said, “Our men and women in uniform come back from the battlefield and the number-one priority is making home feel like home again. Some veterans have a harder time adjusting and make mistakes. But once they serve the full terms of their sentence—including parole, probation, and restitution—those men and women who kept us safe deserve second chances to earn back their eligibility to vote.”
Carlos Fernandez-Guzman, President & CEO of Pacific National Bank in South Florida and Past Chairman of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce said, “In addition to it being the right thing to do, the passage of Amendment 4 will make Florida a more competitive state. Restoring the eligibility to vote for people who have made a mistake and paid their debt to society helps reintegrate them into the fabric of Florida’s civic and economic life, to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars and thousands of jobs annually. That’s among the many reasons I am proud to join a growing number of business executives who back Amendment Four.”
Below is a sample of support for Amendment 4:
Law Enforcement
- Law Enforcement Action Partnership (LEAP)
- Families Against Mandatory Minimums (FAMM)
- Sheriff Walter A. McNeil, Leon County
- Chief James Hurley, Fernandina Beach Police Department
- Former Sheriff Allison DeFoor, Monroe County
- Retired Special Agent Ray Strack, Department of Homeland Security
- Retired Jail Administrator David Parrish, Hillsborough County Jail
- Retired Assistant Chief John Bennett, Tampa Police Department
Veterans
- Alan Rhyelle is an Army veteran and returning citizen who fought in Vietnam and a Purple Heart recipient
- Clarence Office Jr is an Army veteran and returning citizen who now works with the Florida Department of Veterans Affairs
- Anne Rawley is a career Navy veteran who served tours of duty in two war zones – Vietnam and Saudi Arabia during the First Gulf War
- Pernell Bush is a Marine Corps veteran who served two years in Iraq and one humanitarian tour in Haiti
- Mike Pheneger is a retired U.S Army Colonel who served for 30 years, including tours in Vietnam and the Middle East
- Andrew Darling is an Army veteran served two tours in Iraq
Business
- Florida TaxWatch
- Freedom Partners Chamber of Commerce
- Carlos Fernandez-Guzman, President & CEO of Pacific National Bank in South Florida and Past Chairman of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce
- Dick Batchelor, Dick Batchelor Management Group, Inc.
- Seretha Tinsley, Tinsley Family, Co.
- Camarra Williams, The Williams Trial Group.
- Robert Newman, JC Newman Cigar Compay
- Mike Reale, Reale Investment Group, LLC
Faith
- Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops
- Christian Coalition of Florida
- Bishop Keith Robinson, Miracle Deliverance Healing Revival Center
- Bishop Angel Marcial, Church of God
- Pastor Chad Woolf, Christ Community Church
- Minister Danielle Joseph, Kissimmee Haitian Church of God
- Pastor C. Marcel Davis, Adoration for a New Beginning Church
- Pastor John Daniels, Outpouring Orlando Church
- Ken Dewalt is a retired United Methodist pastor
- Pastor A.D. Lenoir, Westview Baptist Church
Current Florida law excludes 1.4 million Floridians who have completed the terms of their sentence from voting for life. Florida is one of only four states with a lifetime ban on voting. Amendment 4 would restore the eligibility to vote to Floridians who have served their time and completed all terms of their sentence as ordered by a judge – including parole, probation, and restitution. The amendment specifically excludes those individuals who have committed murder or a felony sexual offense.
To learn more about the Second Chances Campaign, please visit secondchancesfl.org.
