Members of Virginia Organizing plan to march to the Governor’s Mansion in Richmond to protest the governor’s stance on voting rights.
On Saturday, members will march from St. Paul’s Episcopal Church at 815 E. Grace St. to the mansion starting at 10:30 a.m.
“Governor Youngkin is misusing his power as governor to control who can get their rights back because he doesn’t have a procedure that’s fair to everyone, unlike his three predecessors in office,” said Duane Edwards, a member of Virginia Organizing’s State Governing Board from Fredericksburg. “Automatic restoration is genuinely non-partisan because you don’t look at an applicant’s zip code or name. Youngkin is picking and choosing which Virginians he’s going to allow to move on with their lives.”
The Youngkin administration has rolled back the restoration of voting rates used by Virginia’s previous governors.
“Everyone has a right to vote to hold our elected officials accountable,” said Terry White, a member of the Norfolk Chapter of Virginia Organizing. “It is part of democracy and being a part of a community. I am a returning citizen. My rights were restored by former Governor McAuliffe with the help of Virginia Organizing. People coming out of prison have served their time and just want to put their lives back together: get a job, be with their families, be back as active members in their community. All the previous governors, in a bipartisan way, have improved the process. However, Gov. Youngkin is not doing enough to restore the rights of returning citizens.”
More than 100 people are expected to join the march.
“I got my rights restored nine years ago, and I find it a shame that all the progress we’ve made over the years is being turned back by this administration,” said Barbara Harris, a member of Virginia Organizing’s State Governing Board, and Franklin resident. “Without restoration of rights, I would not have become the productive person that I am today.”
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Crystal Graham
