Snyder v. King
Annotate this CaseThe Indiana Constitution authorizes the General Assembly to disenfranchise "any person convicted of an infamous crime." Plaintiff was convicted of misdemeanor battery. During his incarceration, Plaintiff was informed that his voter registration was canceled in accordance with several provisions of state law under which persons convicted of crimes and sentenced to imprisonment are disenfranchised for the duration of incarceration. After his release, Plaintiff filed a lawsuit seeking declaratory and injunctive relief against state and county election officials. The Supreme Court accepted certification to answer whether Plaintiff's constitutional rights were violated when his voter registration was canceled because, as Plaintiff alleged, misdemeanor battery was not an "infamous crime." The Court held (1) the crime in this case was not an "infamous crime," but (2) the General Assembly has separate constitutional authority to cancel the registration of any person incarcerated following conviction for the duration of the incarceration, and (3) therefore, Plaintiff's Constitutional rights were not violated when he was disenfranchised while incarcerated.
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