Virginia voters approve automatic restoration of voting rights for people with felonies

Virginia voters approved a ballot measure to amend the state constitution, establishing a fundamental right to vote and automatically restoring voting rights to people convicted of felonies once they leave prison.

Sheba Williams and a coalition of organizers led a decade-long campaign to end a state law that stripped voting rights from people with felony convictions. The law originated in the Jim Crow era to specifically limit the electorate.

Williams worked with the Virginia Right to Vote Coalition and other organizations to educate the public on how these restrictions disproportionately affected Black residents. The movement included efforts by state legislators like Yvonne B. Miller and Mamie Locke. They pushed for a system that removed the governor's discretion over who could vote.

Williams founded Nolef Turns to advocate for people with criminal records, highlighting how the lack of voting rights contributed to social stigma and limited housing and employment opportunities for her own family members. The voters approved the measure with 56 percent in favor. The change replaces a system where restorations fluctuated between administrations with an automated process. Williams said the victory ends a 196-year history of using the constitution to disenfranchise people.