Your Vote is Yours in VA
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.
What’s different now
Virginia used to be one of the strictest states in the country on this: a felony conviction meant losing your right to vote permanently, unless the governor personally restored it. A federal court ruling this past January narrowed that. Now, unless your conviction falls on a specific, older list of offenses, your voting rights return automatically once you’re released. No application, no waiting.
If your conviction is on that older list, you still have to apply. But even that path has opened up. Since taking office in January, Governor Spanberger has restored voting rights to more than 66,000 Virginians, reversing a slower, more restrictive process the state had been using.
How to actually find out where you stand
Don’t guess, and don’t take someone else’s word for it. Check for free, directly:
- Go to restore.virginia.gov to check your status or submit a restoration request.
- Call Revive My Vote at 844-932-8683. It’s a free, confidential service run through William & Mary Law School, built specifically to help Virginians through this process. No cost, no judgment.
- Ask your case manager. If you’re not sure which category your conviction falls under, that’s exactly what these resources exist to sort out.
One more thing on the horizon
This November, Virginia voters will decide on a constitutional amendment that would make rights restoration automatic for everyone right at release — no application required, for anyone, ever again. It hasn’t passed yet. We’re not going to tell you how to feel about it. We just want you to know it’s on the ballot, because it’s your future being decided.
Why we’re telling you this now
For the Virginians we work closely with who have reentered our community post-incarceration, the question of whether their vote will count again isn't history. It's live — and this year, it may already have a different answer than it did twelve months ago.
IAHR exists because we believe people don't stop being citizens the day they're incarcerated. That includes the vote.
Resources for you:
https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/voting-rights-restoration-efforts-virginia