Banned from voting for my wife, so we changed the law - a podcast by BBC World Service

from 2021-07-12T11:00

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When Desmond Meade’s wife Sheena ran for public office in Florida, he wanted nothing more than for her to win. But there was one thing he couldn’t do – vote for her. As an ex-felon, Desmond had a lifetime ban on voting. It was a 150-year-old law that affected over a million people, and so Desmond and Sheena led a historic campaign to overturn it. At times, it felt like an impossible battle that would consume their whole family. And even now after all their successes, that fight is not over. Desmond’s written a book called Let my people vote: my battle to restore the civil rights of returning citizens.

Presenter: Stephanie HegartyProducer: Maryam Maruf

Picture: Desmond and Sheena MeadeCredit: Getty Images

Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com

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