Virginia Rising

by Jon Liss

Growing up – I admit it – I was a chronic cheater.  I wanted to win no matter what.  When I played Monopoly with my younger sister I made rules up along the way to make sure that I came out on top.  I didn’t care what was fair or just, I Just wanted to win.  Roll an odd number on my birthday and she owned me $500.  If my marker was a car I got extra rolls because everyone knows the car is faster than the horse.  Fortunately my sister has forgiven me or just plan forgotten.  In the bigger scheme of things it didn’t matter that much.  Unfortunately, in Virginia rules have been created to rig something much bigger than the outcome of a game – elections.  Virginia is one of 4 states which deny formerly incarcerated people the right to vote.  There is an elaborate restitution process but today hundreds of thousands of Virginia’s adults are denied their most fundamental democratic right – the right to vote.

While much is made of Governor McDonnell’s restoration of voting rights to over 4,000 formerly incarcerate Virginians – what about the other 447,000?  Because of the disproportionate incarceration of African Americans – one out of 5 Black people in our state can’t vote.  That’s the legacy of the straight up all school racist intent of felon disenfranchisement.  As Virginia Constitutional Convention delegate Carter Glass said when disenfranchisement was enshrined in our State Constitution:

This plan (which included felon disenfranchisement) will eliminate the darky as a political factor in this State….(Brennan Center for Justice – report on the VA Constitutional Convention, 1906)

It also disproportionately denies Latinos and low-income people of all races voting rights.

Over the years many obstacles have been removed to full participation in elections.  Women won the right to vote.  The poll tax and grandfather clause were eliminated.  Property-owning requirements were removed.  Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are inalienable rights said Jefferson in the Declaration of Independence.  I’d add that nothing can be more important than the right to participate in decisions that will affect your life.  Voting is the most simple and in many ways most powerful form of participation. We call on the Governor and the General Assembly to stop hiding behind discredited history and reasoning and open the polls to all citizens who live in Virginia.  A strong, inclusive and participatory Virginia demands nothing less!