Virginia Organizing State Governing Board member and returning citizen Duane Edwards issued the following statement upon learning of the Virginia Supreme Court’s decision on restoration of civil rights:
“As a returning citizen, I know firsthand what it means when you can’t vote because of your past. While Virginia Organizing is confident that Governor Terry McAuliffe will find a way to restore the rights to those citizens who have served their time and are ready to participate in our civic processes, we are appalled by those politicians like Speaker of the House of Delegates Bill Howell who have consistently put political ideology over the people of Virginia. It is unfair for returning citizens to hear that we deserve a second chance from politicians while they actively work against that second chance. Today goes down in history as another victory for Jim Crow and voter suppression, but we will continue to fight to overcome.”
To interview a spokesperson for Virginia Organizing, please contact Amanda Pohl at 804-337-1912 or amanda@virginia-organizing.org.
Virginia Organizing is a non-partisan statewide grassroots organization that brings people together to create a more just Virginia.
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