Dear ,
August 6th marked 61 years since the Voting Rights Act became law. It's a fitting moment to look at what's happening with voting rights right here in Virginia because a great deal has changed this year.
On that day last week, Governor Abigail Spanberger traveled to Norfolk, the hometown of civil rights leader Evelyn Thomas Butts, to celebrate both the 61st anniversary of the Voting Rights Act and the 60th anniversary of Harper v. Virginia Board of Elections, the case that struck down Virginia's poll tax. She was joined by U.S. Rep. Bobby Scott, State Sen. Aaron Rouse, and author Charlene Butts Ligon, Evelyn Thomas Butts' daughter.
While there, Spanberger signed a package of bills aimed at strengthening voting rights and election security in Virginia, including measures that:
- Strengthen legal protections against voter suppression
- Make sure Virginians facing hospitalization or a medical emergency can still cast a ballot
- Begin the work of making voter registration automatic through the DMV
- Improve the accuracy of Virginia's voter rolls
- Give voters more time to fix mistakes on absentee and provisional ballots
- Lay the groundwork for the constitutional amendment on the ballot this November, so returning citizens can automatically regain their voting rights
- Codify Virginia's membership in ERIC, a bipartisan system that helps keep voter rolls accurate
- Make clear that certifying election results is a legal duty local election boards cannot refuse to carry out
This year, thanks to action from Governor Spanberger's administration, more than 60,000 Virginians who had lost their voting rights due to a felony conviction now have them restored, making them eligible to vote.
With primary election results in, attention now turns to the midterms. Mark your calendar: early voting starts Sept. 18th.
We are excited about the legislative and administrative changes that give more Virginians the opportunity to take part in the democratic process of voting!
In Solidarity,
Keisha
Rev. Dr. LaKeisha Cook
Executive Director | 
