Extreme GOP Candidates In Virginia Mean Voting Rights Are On the Ballot

Extreme GOP Candidates In Virginia Mean Voting Rights Are On the Ballot

Richmond, VA — The extremism and commitment to voter suppression that plagues the Republican party is making one thing clear: the protection of voting rights in Virginia is on the ballot this year. While Virginia has taken momentous strides to protect the right to vote — from Gov. Northam restoring voting rights to over 69,000 formerly incarcerated Virginians, to the passing of the historic Virginia Voting Rights Act — Republicans are running on plans to undo all of this progress. As reported by The Appeal last week:

The future of this vastly expanded, though still not universal, electorate hinges on the state’s upcoming elections for the governorship and legislature.

“I don’t think it’s lost on any of us that depending on the outcome of November, everything that we’ve gained could be lost in the blink of an eye,” said Tram Nguyen, a co-executive director of New Virginia Majority, a progressive group that supports ending felony disenfranchisement. 

As Virginia Republicans fight to prove their complete allegiance to Donald Trump, they are taking extreme positions and opposing any measures to restore and protect voting rights. Kirk Cox and Amanda Chase made their position clear when they voted against the historic Virginia Voting Rights Act — and they make it even clearer every time they recklessly repeat Donald Trump’s election conspiracy theories. Pete Snyder and Glenn Youngkin are dangerously trafficking in these same election lies, making “election integrity” plans centerpieces of their campaigns.

“When it comes to voting rights and elections, Virginia Republicans have made their extreme positions abundantly clear: they side with Donald Trump,” said Manuel Bonder, DPVA spokesman. “Every single Republican candidate for governor is recklessly advancing Donald Trump’s dangerous, deranged election conspiracy theories — and they should answer for their disastrous plans to rip voting rights away from Virginians.”