What to Know Before November

If you've been convicted of a felony in Virginia, you already know your right to vote doesn't come back automatically the day you walk out. What you might not know is that it's already shifting this year. In January, a federal court ruled Virginia can only strip voting rights for the narrower set of crimes that counted as felonies back in 1870. Which means some people convicted of other felonies are eligible to vote right now, without ever applying to the governor. And this November, Virginians will vote on a constitutional amendment that would make rights restoration automatic for everyone once they've served their time. Some of what's true for you may already have changed.

Voices from Inside Virginia Prisons Show Need for Robust Independent Oversight of State Prisons

Drawing on correspondence with more than 600 individuals incarcerated in Virginia prisons, Interfaith Action for Human Rights (IAHR) has released a report (the “Red Report”) calling for significant staffing and authority for independent oversight of the Virginia prison system's operations.  The report summarizes 156 stories divided into 16 different categories of abuse, ranging from alleged assaults by prison staff to inadequate health care to ineffective and unreliable redress mechanisms. Read the Full Report.