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Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam speaks as he prepares to receive a covid-19 vaccine at the Governors Mansion in Richmond.
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RICHMOND Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam announced Tuesday that he has restored voting rights to more than 69,000 former felons who have completed their prison sentences but are still on probation.
Northam’s move mirrors a proposed constitutional amendment recently approved by the General Assembly that would automatically restore voting rights to people convicted of felonies once they serve their time and are released from prison. To take effect, the amendment must be approved by the legislature again next year and must win approval from voters in a statewide ballot referendum.
In addition to being able to vote, the rights include the right to serve on a jury, run for office and become a public notary.
“Too many of our laws were written during a time of open racism and discrimination, and they still bear the traces of inequity,” Northam said in a statement.
“If we want people to return to our communities and participate in society, we must welcome them back fully and this policy does just that,” he said.
Under the state constitution, the governor can restore civil rights to former felons. If the constitutional amendment is approved, the restoration of rights will become automatic when a felon is released from prison.
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