While Democrats fight so that MORE people can exercise their right to vote, see below for what Trumpist Republicans like Glenn Youngkin do – work to keep people FROM voting. As VA Senate Privileges and Elections Committee Chair Sen. Lionell Spruill writes:
“Governor McDonnell started automatic restorations for non-violent offenses and Governor McAuliffe restored rights to over 173,000 people. Governor Northam expanded the process for all persons released from prison. The process was in place for several years and an expectation was developed that this was institutionalized.
It appears the Governor has terminated the automatic restoration process and is restoring individuals’ rights using unknown criteria…I am very concerned that thousands of people have been released who thought their rights were being automatically restored, but it never happened.
My review of Senate Document #2, which details the Governor’s annual pardons and restorations each year, shows that only 4,000 voters’ rights were restored in 2022 compared with about 90,000 in 2021, 17,000 in 2020 and 16,000 in 2019. The numbers under this administration appear to be significantly lower.”
So, Chair Spruill asks, what did Youngkin change this process, what criteria is Youngkin using, how is Youngkin informing the public and notifying prisoners about this change?!? In short, WTF is going on here?!?
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