United States Law
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Until 2007, the California Penal Code Section 26 stated that "Idiots" were one of six types of people who are not capable of committing crimes. In 2007 the code was amended to read "persons who are mentally incapacitated." In 2008, Iowa voters passed a measure replacing "idiot, or insane person" in the State's constitution with "person adjudged mentally incompetent."
In several U.S. states, "idiots" do not have the right to vote:
- Kentucky Section 145
- Mississippi Article 12, Section 241
- New Mexico Article VII, section 1
- Ohio (Article V, Section 6)
The constitution of the state of Arkansas was amended in the general election of 2008 to, among other things, repeal a provision (Article 3, Section 5) which had until its repeal prohibited "idiots or insane persons" from voting.
"Idiots" are also barred from voting in British parliamentary elections.
Read more about this topic: Idiot
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