See below for some comments on the passage today of Del. Cia Price’s HB1890, the “Virginia Voting Rights Act,” which among other things:
“Prohibits any voting qualification or any standard, practice, or procedure related to voting from being imposed or applied in a manner that results in the denial or abridgment of the right of any United States citizen to vote based on his race or color or membership in a language minority group. The bill further prohibits at-large methods of election from being imposed or applied in a locality in a manner that impairs the ability of a protected class, defined in the bill, to elect candidates of its choice or to influence the outcome of an election, by diluting or abridging the rights of voters who are members of a protected class…The bill authorizes the Attorney General to commence civil actions when there is reasonable cause to believe that a violation of an election law has occurred and the rights of any voter or group of voters have been affected by the violation.”
Great stuff. As the following statement from the Virginia NAACP explains:
“Protections included in this landmark legislation will prevent voter suppression tactics by requiring pre-approval of certain changes to election procedures, protecting voters from threats and intimidation at the polls, and allowing civil action as possible recourse. The Virginia Voting Rights Act is poised to be an impenetrable shield of protection for the voting rights of Black Virginians and Virginians of color when enacted.”
Finally, check out the video of Del. Cia Price, who explains that “Virginia has passed its own voting rights act…this is a very big deal…we are the first state in the South…this voting rights act is the most comprehensive in the nation…we deal with it all.” Great stuff, especially given – as Del. Price explains – the “concerted effort” by Republicans “to restrict voting access,” but “here in Virginia, we have staved that off.”
Virginia NAACP Commends General Assembly on Passage of HB1890 Virginia Voting Rights Act
Former Confederate Capital Poised to Become First Southern State with Voting Rights Act
RICHMOND – Virginia State Conference NAACP (Virginia NAACP) President Robert N. Barnette, Jr. issued the following statement regarding yesterday’s passage of House Bill 1890, the Virginia Voting Rights Act:
“Following decades of regressive voter suppression on the state and national levels, the Virginia NAACP is thrilled that our Commonwealth is just one signature away from enacting a historic Voting Rights Act.
Protections included in this landmark legislation will prevent voter suppression tactics by requiring pre-approval of certain changes to election procedures, protecting voters from threats and intimidation at the polls, and allowing civil action as possible recourse. The Virginia Voting Rights Act is poised to be an impenetrable shield of protection for the voting rights of Black Virginians and Virginians of color when enacted.
We are unequivocally proud of Delegate Marcia Price and Senator Jennifer McClellan for championing this Virginia NAACP priority legislation, and applaud members of the General Assembly who voted in favor of this comprehensive bill.
The Virginia NAACP looks forward to the Governor’s swift action to sign this bill into law, thereby making Virginia the first state in the South to pass a state-level Voting Rights Act.
Sign up for the Blue Virginia weekly newsletter
