Virginia Governor Restores Voting Rights to Over 66,000 Former Felons

Governor Abigail Spanberger declared that she has restored the right to vote to 66,085 Virginians who were previously disenfranchised due to felony convictions. Under Virginia law, the constitution permanently removes voting and jury service rights from convicted felons unless the governor intervenes. Spanberger’s action reverses the policy of former Governor Glenn Youngkin, who restored fewer than 10,000 rights and instituted a case-by-case application process.

She described the prior administration’s changes as a dismantling of a streamlined system used by earlier governors. The move comes ahead of a November ballot measure that would amend the state constitution to automatically restore voting rights after prison release. Spanberger urged citizens to vote “yes” on the referendum, calling the current disenfranchisement a relic of the Jim Crow era. One outlet has sought comment from the Virginia GOP.