For Immediate Release:
Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024
Media Contact:
Lee Francis | Deputy Director
Virginia League of Conservation Voters
434-989-3197 | lfrancis@valcv.org
RICHMOND – Today, the Youngkin Administration announced an initiative to improve reentry success and prevent recidivism for the formerly incarcerated, which unfortunately contains no provisions to restore voting rights to these same individuals. Virginia is one of only a few states that doesn’t automatically restore voting rights to felons upon release; under Virginia’s constitution, that power rests with the Governor. And while Youngkin’s predecessors in office took steps to automatically restore voting rights – nearly 300,000 Virginians had their rights restored under the McAuliffe and Northam Administrations – Youngkin has only done so on a “case-by-case” basis, resulting in the highest level of voter disenfranchisement for those with felony convictions in more than a decade.
In response to this announcement Lee Francis, Deputy Director of the Virginia League of Conservation Voters, issued the following statement:
“A healthy democracy and a healthy environment go hand-in-hand. When Virginians are empowered to vote, they’re also empowered to fight for solutions in their community that keep them safe from pollution, that protect them from the climate crisis, and that safeguard their clean water. Today, more than 300,000 Virginians – 5% of the eligible voting population – are disenfranchised due to prior felony convictions, efforts that disproportionately impact people of color who also face some of our state’s highest pollution burdens. If Governor Youngkin is serious about helping more Virginians reenter society and become engaged and active citizens, then he should also restore voting rights to these same individuals. The long-term solution is a Constitutional Amendment, which we’ll be fighting for, but there is more this Administration can and should do here and now to empower Virginians and secure a healthier democracy.”
About us:
The Virginia League of Conservation Voters serves as the political voice of the state’s conservation community, working to make sure Virginia’s elected officials recognize that our natural heritage is an environmental and economic treasure for all. Virginia LCV works with conservation leaders across Virginia and strives for a conservation majority in state government. We secure good public policies on the state level and hold public officials accountable for their positions on environmental issues. For more information, visit www.valcv.org.
###