Virginia Takes Step to End Jim Crow Era Voting Ban
Virginia lawmakers voted to place a measure on the 2026 November ballot to automatically restore voting rights to people released from prison.
Related to: Voting Rights, Racial Justice
Virginia lawmakers voted to place a measure on the November ballot this year to automatically restore voting rights to people when they exit prison. Virginia’s felony disenfranchisement law was enshrined in the state constitution 124 years ago with the explicit intent to disenfranchise Black voters. For decades, advocates and other stakeholders have worked to remove this Jim Crow era stain from Virginia’s constitution. If adopted by voters, this landmark ballot measure will eliminate the state’s lifetime felony voting ban, restoring the vote to over 230,000 citizens.
The Sentencing Project worked in coalition with state advocates and formerly disenfranchised activists, like Sheba Williams of Virginia’s Nolef Turns and the Right to Vote Coalition, to educate lawmakers and the public on the harms of felony disenfranchisement. In times like this, we must listen to directly impacted residents like Sheba:
It’s also important to consider that banning people who have been incarcerated from voting does nothing to advance public safety or prevent crime. There is nothing safe about people not participating in our political process; quite the opposite. Research consistently demonstrates that restoring voting rights for people with felony convictions can improve community safety, by allowing returning citizens to remain engaged in their communities and the policies that shape their lives.
The Sentencing Project’s research and advocacy teams commend Virginia for taking an important step toward amending its constitution and remain committed to expanding voting rights to all individuals who are completing their felony sentence and are otherwise eligible to vote.
