Governor McDonnell’s support for restoring rights complements his use of his clemency power to reintegrate these individuals back into our democracy. The legislature should swiftly respond to his call.

Four of the nation’s premier civil rights organizations sent a letter late Friday to Florida’s Board of Executive Clemency, asking the board not to further restrict Floridians’ voting rights by requiring every individual with a criminal conviction to apply for restoration of their civil rights after a new waiting period that could be as long as five years.

Today, the House Judiciary Committee meets to consider the Democracy Restoration Act, a bill that would restore the right to vote to nearly 4 million American citizens with a criminal conviction, who are now living and working in the community.

VA Governor Tim Kaine announced today that he will not use his executive powers before leaving office to restore voting rights to 300,000 Virginians who do not have the right to vote because they were once convicted of a crime. Governor Kaine’s decision leaves these citizens without the right to vote even though they have returned to the community and completed all terms of their sentence.