The 14th ammendment defines citizenship. It's the 15th ammendment that deals with voting rights. it says, in it's entirety.
"Section 1.
The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude--
Section 2.
The Congress shall have the power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation."
Clearly, any state can still restrict voting rights on the basis of an individual having committed a felony. However, just cause the Constitution doesn't strictly forbid it, doesn't mean it should be done. Each state can do what it wants in regards to whose voting rights it restricts.
I just happen to be of the opinion that people are innocent until proven guilty. If someone commits a crime once, and a jury of their peers sentences them to x amount of time in prison, and they're done, I see no reason to restrict their rights. If they behave criminally again, then they should be imprisoned again. But it's saying that Ex-Cons shouldn't be allowed to vote because they might vote for those who are soft on crime is less logical than Japanese-American internment during WWII.
At least during WWII, it's likely that some Japanese-Americans might've been spies. When you're dealing with spies, a single individual can cause alot of damage.
But with ex-cons, what is the likelyhood that they'll get together and vote for something like legalizing theft, or roberry? If you think they're perpetual dangers to society, then they really shouldn't be out on the streets in general. But if a jury deems them ready to re-enter society, labelling them as second class citizens who can't influence their government would only lead to disenfranchise them and lead to more crime. Getting them involved in a normal life would probabally be far more conducive to them becoming productive citizens than telling them they're unable to have the same rights as everyone around them.
Of course, there are some people who are criminally insane who shouldn't be allowed to vote. But then, those people really shouldn't be out on the streets in general, because reckless voting is the least of the problems they cause.
