Spanberger administration highlights push to restore voting rights

The governor’s office reported in a release today that the Spanberger administration has restored the voting rights of 66,085 Virginians who were formerly incarcerated after being convicted of felonies.

We’re one of only three states in the Union that permanently disenfranchises citizens with past felony convictions — meaning, the restoration of rights entirely to a sitting governor’s discretion.

The release from the governor’s office highlighted how Glenn Youngkin was pretty much a dick on this one – the restoration process was a bipartisan thing until he took office in 2022, and gutted the process for reviews that we’d had in place.

The Spanberger team has fixed that now.

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More information

• To find more information on restoration of rights, submit a restoration of rights application, or check civil rights status, visit restore.virginia.gov.

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“The right to vote is foundational to who we are as Americans. As a member of Congress, as a candidate for governor, and in the months since I took office, I have heard from many Virginians who have shared their personal stories of redemption with me — and heartfelt reflections of the moment their voting rights were restored by previous governors,” Gov. Abigail Spanberger said in a statement highlighted in the release.

“I’m proud that — after contending with my predecessor’s efforts to deny Virginians their fundamental rights — we have restored the rights of more than 66,000 Virginians who have served their time. These Virginians deserve the right to use their vote, make their voices heard, and be recognized as contributing citizens to our Commonwealth and country,” Spanberger said.

Yeah, that’s pretty much reading the riot act to the guy with a net worth at $470 million who moved on from being governor to working for a venture firm.

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ICYMI

• Glenn Youngkin is the latest former Virginia governor to cash in on his political ties

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This fall, Virginians will have the opportunity to vote in a referendum on a constitutional amendment that would allow Virginians convicted of felonies to automatically regain their voting rights upon their release from incarceration.

“By giving these Virginians back their ability to make an impact at the local, state, and national levels, we are empowering our neighbors to take hold of their second chance,” Spanberger said. “This fall, voters can cast their ballots for Virginia to no longer strip so many of our neighbors of their fundamental rights — a shameful relic of our Jim Crow past. I hope Virginians will join me in voting yes.”