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Voting Rights Restoration for Felons Upon Release Amendment
Voting Rights Restoration for Felons Upon Release Amendment
Virginia · November 3, 2026
What this measure does
Provide that persons convicted of felonies have their voting rights restored upon release from incarceration
A yes vote means
People convicted of felonies automatically regain the right to vote once they're released from prison.
A no vote means
The current voting restrictions for people with felony convictions remain in place after their release from prison.
Simple explanation
Right now, some people who've finished their prison sentences can't vote because of their felony conviction. This measure says: once you've served your time and been released, you get your voting rights back automatically, just like everyone else. Think of it as your voting privileges being paused during incarceration, then automatically resume when you're out.
Who's for it, who's against it
Support
- ACLU of Virginia
- Americans for Prosperity
- Equality Virginia
- Fair Elections Center
- Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D)
- LaTwyla Mathias, executive director at Progress Virginia
- League of Women Voters of Virginia
- Progress Virginia
- State Del. Adele McClure (D)
- State Del. Alex Askew (D)
- State Del. Alfonso Lopez (D)
- State Del. Amy Laufer (D)
- State Del. Atoosa Reaser (D)
- State Del. Betsy Carr (D)
- State Del. Bonita Anthony (D)
- State Del. Briana Sewell (D)
- State Del. Candi King (D)
- State Del. Cliff Hayes (D)
- State Del. Dan Helmer (D)
- State Del. David Bulova (D)
- State Del. David Reid (D)
- State Del. Debra Gardner (D)
- State Del. Delores McQuinn (D)
- State Del. Destiny LeVere Bolling (D)
- State Del. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker (D)
- State Del. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker (D-5)
- State Del. Elizabeth Guzman (D)
- State Del. Holly Seibold (D)
- State Del. Irene Shin (D)
- State Del. Jackie Glass (D)
- State Del. Jas Singh (D)
- State Del. Jeion Ward (D)
- State Del. Jessica Anderson (D)
- State Del. John Chilton McAuliff (D)
- State Del. Joshua Cole (D)
- State Del. Joshua Thomas (D)
- State Del. Karen Keys-Gamarra (D)
- State Del. Karen Robins Carnegie (D)
- State Del. Karrie Delaney (D)
- State Del. Kathy Tran (D)
- State Del. Katrina Callsen (D)
- State Del. Kelly Convirs-Fowler (D)
- State Del. Kimberly Adams (D)
- State Del. Laura Jane Cohen (D)
- State Del. Leslie Mehta (D)
- State Del. Lily Franklin (D)
- State Del. Lindsey Dougherty (D)
- State Del. Luke Torian (D)
- State Del. Marcia Price (D)
- State Del. Marcus Simon (D)
- State Del. Mark Downey (D)
- State Del. Mark Sickles (D)
- State Del. Marty Martinez (D)
- State Del. May Nivar (D)
- State Del. Michael Feggans (D)
- State Del. Michelle Maldonado (D)
- State Del. Nadarius Clark (D)
- State Del. Nicole Cole (D)
- State Del. Patrick Hope (D)
- State Del. Paul Krizek (D)
- State Del. Phil Hernandez (D)
- State Del. Rae Cousins (D)
- State Del. R.C. Sullivan Jr. (D)
- State Del. Rodney Willett (D)
- State Del. Rozia Henson (D)
- State Del. Sam Rasoul (D)
- State Del. Shelly Simonds (D)
- State Del. Stacey Carroll (D)
- State Del. Virgil Thornton Sr. (D)
- State Del. Vivian Watts (D)
- State House Majority Leader Charniele Herring (D)
- State Sen. Mamie Locke (D)
- State Sen. Mamie Locke (D-23)
- State Sen. Michael Jones (D)
- State Sen. Scott Surovell (D)
- State Speaker of the House Don Scott (D)
- The Sentencing Project
- Virginia Catholic Conference
- Virginia NAACP
Opposition
- Arlington County, Va., Republican Party
- Former State Del. Paul Milde III (R)
- Former State Del. Paul Milde (R-64)
- Former State Del. Tim Anderson (R)
- Former State Del. Tim Anderson (R-83)
- Former State Del. Todd Gilbert (R)
- Former State Del. Todd Gilbert (R-33)
- John Reid (R) - Former Lt. Gov. candidate
- John Thomas (R) - Former candidate for State Senate
Source: Ballotpedia