Clarence B. Jones Impact Award | Florida Rights Restoration Coalition

Overview

In 2018, Florida Rights Restoration Coalition (FRRC) was the driving force leading the debate on Florida Amendment 4. The amendment proposed restoring the voting rights of Floridians with prior felony convictions, except those convicted of murder or a felony sexual offense, after they completed all the terms of their sentences. Remarkably, the initiative passed with 65% of the vote.

FRRC’s victory was years in the making. The campaign was able to reach across political and ideological lines (no small feat today) by using targeted communications that overcame conventional wisdom on what was perceived to be an unmovable issue. Their effort also represents a model for building a diverse coalition of supporters, as well as an example of how to equip such a coalition with data-informed strategies.

Desmond Meade, one of the TIME 100 Most Influential People in 2019, accepted the award and gave a keynote presentation at ComNet19 Austin.