For Decades, a Jim Crow Era-Law Disenfranchised Black Virginians. Now, 66,000 People Can Vote Again.
Virginia has restored voting rights to tens of thousands of people. For many Black Virginians, this is bigger than simple politics. It’s personal.
In one of the largest voting rights restorations in the state’s history, Gov. Abigail Spanberger has restored voting rights to more than 66,000 Virginians with past felony convictions, instantly making them eligible to vote, serve on juries, run for public office and participate more fully in civic life, according to an announcement from the governor’s office.
The announcement is particularly important to Black Virginians, who have long carried the heaviest burden of felony disenfranchisement.
Virginia’s policy didn’t happen by accident. Spanberger directly went after former Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s revival of lifetime voting back in 2023, according to Bolts Magazine. Then, the Republican leader reissued the state’s lifetime voting ban for people with felony convictions, which dates back to the 1902 Constitution. The Jim Crow-era document had the explicit goal of shrinking Black political power. More than a century later, those policies continue to hit Black communities hardest.
Youngkin’s choice made Virginia the only state where someone convicted of a felony is barred from voting forever. Only clemency granted by the governor could restore one’s rights.
Now, Spanberger’s move represents a sharp shift from the previous administration. Her administration says it reviewed eligible cases and restored rights in bulk rather than requiring many individuals to navigate a lengthy process.
“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,” she said in a statement. “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.”
In practice, Black Virginians were disproportionately impacted. They are several times more likely than other residents to lose their voting rights because of a felony conviction. According to the Sentencing Project, although Black Virginians represent 18% of the state’s population, they make up over 50% of the prison population. Additionally, one out of every 10 Black Virginians who are eligible to vote is banned from voting because of a felony-level conviction.
That means when tens of thousands of people are now getting those rights back, Black neighborhoods stand to feel the impact in a big way.
Another grandmother is finally voting alongside her family. A father can help decide who runs his children’s school district by voting. Those who served their sentence years ago can finally have a say in the laws that affect where they live and work.
“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,” said Gov. Spanberger in a statement. “These Virginians deserve the right to use their vote, make their voices heard, and be recognized as contributing citizens to our Commonwealth and country.”
Voting has always been about more than Election Day. It’s about being recognized as a full member of your community.
Civil rights advocates are celebrating the announcement, but they’re also pointing out that the work isn’t finished. Across the country, more than 4 million formally incarcerated people still do not have their voting rights, according to the Sentencing Project.
It’s important to note that voting rights restoration in Virginia still depends on who’s sitting in the governor’s office. A future governor could adopt a completely different policy. That’s why many advocates are focused on changing the state constitution so that voting rights are automatically restored after someone completes their sentence, rather than leaving the decision to whichever governor is in power.
The state is one step closer to undoing the legacy of laws that were designed to keep Black voices out of the ballot box. For tens of thousands of people, it’s the first time in years that they’ll walk into a polling place knowing their voice counts again.
