Help 300,000 Disenfranchised Voters in Virginia regain their political voices!

Felony Disenfranchisement in Virginia

Dear Sir or Madam,

     23% of the African American population in Virginia are disenfranchised, according to a breakdown of data by state by civil rights advocacy group, The Sentencing Project, where they report a whopping 2,331 disenfranchised African Americans per 100,000 of the total population of the Commonwealth. 7% of the total voting age population in Virginia have lost their political voice.

     You can apply to have your civil rights restored, but the process is lengthy. There's also no guarantee that your application will be approved. The number of newly disenfranchised felons in Virginia each year exceeds the number of ex-felons who are able to regain their civil rights.

      Despite evidence that bringing ex-felons back into the franchise actually reduces the recidivism rate, Virginia continues to disenfranchise any and all convicted felons regardless of the nature of the crime. The waiting period keeps many ex-felons from being eligible to have their civil rights restored, because disenfranchised felons are more likely to be reoffenders.  What this really means is that Virginia continues to adhere to a policy that actually creates more crime.

     Virginia is one of only two states remaining in the United States that disenfranchises all convicted felons and require personal action from the Governor in order to restore the rights of ex-felons.

     This letter is to urge Virginia legislators to amend Virginia Code § 53.1-231.2. Restoration of the civil right to be eligible to register to vote to certain persons, to allow nonviolent felons who have served their sentence, and any period of probation, parole, or modified sentence to automatically regain their civil rights upon the date of such completion.

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