AG Mark Herring comments on McAuliffe restoration of rights action

Attorney General Mark R. Herring issued the following statement on Governor McAuliffe’s action to restore the voting rights of more than 200,000 Virginians.

“This is a life-changing day for hundreds of thousands of Virginians who will once again have a voice in the direction of their Commonwealth and their community. So many who already have the right to vote seem to take it for granted and fail to recognize how fundamental it is to the functioning of our democracy and our identity as Americans. For too many, that right was beyond their reach because of a mistake made years or decades ago. In restoring the rights of our fellow citizens who have long ago served their sentence, Governor McAuliffe is turning a page, providing hope, and empowering hundreds of thousands of Virginians who have been disenfranchised for far too long.”