In an unprecedented development, former President Donald Trump, the leading Republican candidate for the 2024 U.S. presidential election, was found guilty on May 30 of falsifying business records. This verdict marks the first time in U.S. history that a former president has been convicted in a criminal trial, and it comes just five months before Election Day.
The conviction stems from allegations that Trump unlawfully influenced the 2016 election through hush money payments to a porn actress who claimed they had an encounter. Despite the conviction, Trump remains eligible to run for president, as the U.S. Constitution requires candidates to be at least 35 years old, a U.S. citizen, and to have lived in the country for 14 years, without any disqualification due to criminal conviction.
Trump, who resides in Florida, faces voting rights restrictions specific to the state’s laws regarding felons. According to University of Florida political scientist Michael McDonald, Trump’s ability to vote in Florida will depend on the terms of his sentencing. Under Florida law, individuals with felony convictions have restricted voting rights, but these can be restored if their rights are reinstated in the state where the conviction occurred.
Blair Bowie of the Campaign Legal Center noted that Florida’s complex disenfranchisement rules often confuse voters. However, New York law, where Trump was convicted, revokes voting rights only during incarceration. Once released, even on parole, individuals’ voting rights are automatically restored due to a 2021 law enacted by New York’s Democratic legislature.
Despite the conviction, Trump continues to lead President Joe Biden in most polls, a testament to his enduring political influence even after surviving two impeachments and numerous scandals. However, the conviction could impact his support among voters in the upcoming election.
Furthermore, Trump cannot pardon himself of state charges in New York if re-elected, as presidential pardon power only applies to federal crimes.
As the political landscape shifts, the upcoming general election in November will undoubtedly be shaped by this historic verdict and its implications for the U.S. presidential race.
