US Election Day: Here's why Donald Trump, first ex-president convicted of felony crimes, can still vote today

Former President Donald Trump will have no trouble voting today, despite the fact that Florida often makes it difficult for residents with felony convictions to reclaim their ability to vote.

Earlier in May, Trump became the first former president of the US to be convicted of felony crimes. A New York jury found Trump guilty of all 34 charges of falsifying business documents related to hush money payment made to porn star Stormy Daniels in a bid to buy her silence about their alleged affair. He is scheduled to be sentenced on November 26.

Reacting to the verdict, angry Trump told reporters while leaving the courtroom: “This was a rigged, disgraceful trial.”

“The real verdict is going to be Nov. 5 by the people. They know what happened, and everyone knows what happened here,” he added.

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All you need to know about Florida law

According to Florida law, if a voter has been convicted outside of the state, Florida will follow the regulations of that state regarding the restoration of voting rights.

Likewise, Trump stands to gain from a 2021 New York statute that permits voters with felony records to cast ballots, provided that they are not incarcerated at the time of the election.

The regulations are not as clear-cut for other Floridians who have felony convictions.

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Republican lawmakers in the state destroyed a successful ballot proposal in 2018 that restored voting rights to people who had served out their sentences. They created legislation mandating the payment of all fines and fees related to a conviction, which can be a difficult procedure because there isn't a centralised system in place to track these unpaid amounts.

Moreover, the conviction and even imprisonment did not stop Trump from pursuing the presidency.

In an earlier period, a criminal conviction might spell the end of a presidential campaign, but Trump's political career has persevered despite two impeachments, sexual abuse allegations, investigations into everything from possible Russian ties to election-tampering schemes, and personally offensive storylines, such as the release of a recording in which he boasted about grabbing women's genitalia.

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