Amendment 4 advocate on Time’s list of most influential

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — A driving force behind Florida’s ballot initiative to restore voting rights to Floridians with past felony convictions has been chosen as one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world.

Desmond Meade will be on the magazine’s list when it hits newsstands on Friday. In a statement, Meade called the recognition “an unexpected honor.”

He was profiled for the honor in a brief article by Stacey Abrams, the former Democratic gubernatorial candidate from Georgia.

Abrams says Meade’s efforts gave as many as 1.4 million Floridians with felonies the opportunity to vote in one of the largest expansions of voting rights in a half-century.

Nearly 65 percent of Florida voters last November approved Amendment 4. It applies to all felons except people convicted of murder or sex offenses.