Watch CBS News

Should Convicted Felons Be Allowed To Run For Public Office?

Proposal 2 on Tuesday's ballot would prohibit certain convicted felons from running for public office.

Proposal 2 was launched by a state representative from Detroit after Kwame Kilpatrick was disgraced by scandal and forced from office. However, Tupac Hunter says the political corruption in Detroit was not the impetus for the proposal. Hunter told The Detroit News that the proposal isn't about one person or city, but about making an anti-corruption message.

Representative Shanelle Jackson of Detroit, who voted against the proposal in the House this year, says voters are astute and can make decisions about the people they want serving.

The measure would ban anyone from being elected or appointed to any state or local office for 20 years after being convicted of such felonies, as dishonesty, deceit, fraud or breach of public trust.

The only other ballot measure Tuesday is Proposal 1, which will allow the state's voters to say whether they want a constitutional convention to be held.  More on this at ballotpedia.com.

View your ballot and confirm your polling location at http://publius.org/.

Where do you stand on the issues? Find out which candidates match you at this link.

Copyright, 2010. WWJ Newsradio 950, All Rights Reserved.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.