Following Gov. Bob McDonnell’s State of the Commonwealth Address, the Brennan Center released this statement from Myrna Pérez, Senior Counsel:
“We commend Governor Bob McDonnell for his support of automatically restoring the right to vote of individuals with past criminal convictions. This would move Virginia to the mainstream. It is currently one of only four states that permanently disenfranchise all individuals with past criminal convictions unless they are granted clemency. Allowing Americans who have served their time to have a voice in their community will reap great benefits in terms of public safety and a more robust democracy. 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.”
See the Brennan Center’s work on restoring voting rights to persons with criminal convictions in their past.
For more information, or to schedule an interview, please contact Erik Opsal at erik.opsal@nyu.edu or 646–292–8356.