Man fails to show after given time to vote

ST. PAUL, Minn., Nov. 14 (UPI) -- A man who requested that his sentencing at a Ramsey County, Minn., court be delayed so he could vote failed to show up for his hearing, officials said.

Javontez Ross, 24, pleaded guilty Sept. 11 to a felony charge of possessing several bags of suspected heroin and asked Judge Margaret Marrinan to delay his sentencing so he could vote in the U.S. presidential election, the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reported Friday.

Marrinan granted the request but revoked Ross' bail and issued a warrant for his arrest after he failed to show up for his hearing Wednesday morning. The judge said that due to prior offenses, guidelines call for a two-year prison sentence for Ross.

Jim Allen, spokesman for the Chicago Board of Elections, said it is unknown whether Ross cast a ballot on Election Day, but he has not previously voted in Cook County, Ill., since 2005 and he is listed as an inactive voter in records, the Chicago Sun-Times reported Friday.