Everyone deserves the right to vote - SB21/SJ1 We need to correct the wrongs of previous discrimination practices and allow every eligible citizen to vote and full re entry to society. I also feel, us citizens should make that ultimate decision to allow the formerly incarcerated citizens, Right To Vote.

VSC NAACP supportSB21 , SJ1 and SB767

Everyone deserves the right to vote - SB21/SJ1 We need to correct the wrongs of previous discrimination practices and allow every eligible citizen to vote and full re entry to society

I feel as though returning citizens should have the right to vote as enduring servitude for however long and then not being able to vote would seem like a double jeopardy.

Reasons to SUPPORT SJ1/SB21 The effectiveness of community-led advocacy to fight for clean air and water and the preservation of Virginia's abundant natural resources is inextricably connected to the freedom, fairness, and transparency of our democratic institutions and the ability of citizens to participate in them. The ability to vote is a critical part of reintegration into civic life for returning citizens. Approximately 250,000 Virginia citizens don’t have access to the ballot due to a past offense they have already served time for. Despite paying taxes, working jobs, they are banned from voting for the rest of their lives. Currently, the manner and pace at which rights are restored is subject to the whims and dispositions of individual governors and varies from administration to administration. This amendment would establish a consistent and fair process.

I urge the committee to allow SJ1 and SB21 to pass on to the floor of the House. I believe the question of automatic rights restoration should be put before the voters in the next election. Our democracy is stronger when we all participate.

Mr. Chairman, delegates, my name is Jim Nix, electoral board member in Charlottesville speaking on behalf of the Virginia Electoral Board Association. The witness requirement was reviewed by a bi-partisan Department of Elections workgroup, which determined that the witness signature did not contribute significantly to ballot security. The workgroup concluded, however, that security would be enhanced if voters had the option of providing their date of birth and the final four digits of their social security number as an alternative to a witness signature. Registrars cannot verify a witness signature, but they can easily verify the voter’s birth date and social security number when the marked ballot is received, and this verification step is mandated by this bill. I was a member of the workgroup, which adopted this recommendation without dissent. VEBA strongly supports this bill.

Mr. Chairman and members of the Subcommittee, on behalf of our 67 sexual and domestic violence agencies statewide who serve LGBTQ survivors of violence, the Virginia Sexual & Domestic Violence Action Alliance wholeheartedly supports this bill and we ask that you vote YES on it. We support healthy relationships between consenting adults and believe that ALL Virginians have the right to safe, respectful, and violence free relationships and homes. We strongly opposed this amendment in the early 2000’s and thank the patron for carrying this important bill to repeal discriminatory and harmful language enshrined in the State's Constitution. We recognize that sexual and domestic violence is linked to other forms of oppression and that supporting equality and respect for all people and relationships, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression, is integral to creating a Virginia free from sexual and domestic violence. The dangers of relationship violence are not limited to heterosexual, married couples. All victims of domestic violence, regardless of sexual orientation, have the right to access safety and services. Policies, such as Section 15-A of Article I of the Constitution of Virginia Commonwealth, threaten the safety and security of LGBTQ victims of domestic violence and their families and serve to isolate and alienate Virginians who may be seeking safety and services. We hope it will be the will of the subcommittee to advance measures to repeal outdated and discriminatory prohibitions on marriage for Virginians.

VSC NAACP supportSB21 , SJ1 and SB767

I write to request a vote on SJ1 by the full House of Delegates to enable those who have served their time and been released to have their right to vote restored. Virginia voters should decide this core principle of republican government - who votes. Everyone deserves a second chance. Thank you. Peace, Angie Boggs

Everyone deserves the right to vote - SB21/SJ1 We need to correct the wrongs of previous discrimination practices and allow every eligible citizen to vote and full re entry to society. I also feel, us citizens should make that ultimate decision to allow the formerly incarcerated citizens, Right To Vote.

I support SJ1 and the inclusion of the amendment on the ballot for Virginians to consider. Establishing an automatic process for those citizens exiting the prison system to become voters in good standing is an important step in creating a fair voting system.

VA NAACP support SJ1

Reasons to SUPPORT SJ1/SB21 The effectiveness of community-led advocacy to fight for clean air and water and the preservation of Virginia's abundant natural resources is inextricably connected to the freedom, fairness, and transparency of our democratic institutions and the ability of citizens to participate in them. The ability to vote is a critical part of reintegration into civic life for returning citizens. Approximately 250,000 Virginia citizens don’t have access to the ballot due to a past offense they have already served time for. Despite paying taxes, working jobs, they are banned from voting for the rest of their lives. Currently, the manner and pace at which rights are restored is subject to the whims and dispositions of individual governors and varies from administration to administration. This amendment would establish a consistent and fair process.

Good morning, Members of the Valley Justice Coalition strongly support this bill. Voting is a right granted to us by our United States Constitution and should never be taken away. Those fulfilling a sentence should have restored to them this basic freedom. If we truly want to accept them back into society as functioning citizens, the right to vote must be included. Please vote Yes to SJ1 and restore voting rights to our returning citizens. Thank you. Valley Justice Coalition

This important piece of legislation should be presented to Virginians to cast their voice at the ballot box. I urge you to vote SJ1 out of committee to be discussed and passed on the House floor. Everyone should have the right to vote and this bill is an paramount part of making our Democratic process available to all citizens who are eligible to vote. I urge you to vote yes

I support SJ1 and urge you to vote YES. Voters understand the procedures for constitutional amendments. Please let the voters decide whether citizens who have completed serving time for a felony should have their right to vote restored.

The legacy of racism is a shameful stain on our commonwealth’s history, and the felony disenfranchisement enshrined in the Virginia constitution 120 years ago is a part of that legacy. More than a quarter of a million Virginians are denied the right to vote due to felony convictions for which they have already served their time. These are predominantly Black and brown Virginians - the inevitable result of overpolicing in non-white communities and the deliberate outcome of the constitutional provision. It is time to take action to reverse this unjust law, and the majority of Virginians agree. The Senate should pass SJ1 and empower the people to approve this much-needed constitutional amendment.

I urge the committee to allow SJ1 and SB21 to pass on to the floor of the House. I believe the question of automatic rights restoration should be put before the voters in the next election. Our democracy is stronger when we all participate.

I urge you to vote in favor of SJ1 to restore voting rights for persons who have completed serving their sentences for a felony, as well as related legislation to bring the matter to voters to consider a referendum proposal. I firmly believe that everyone deserves a second chance and that government shouldn’t impose lifetime restrictions and punishments on people when the courts did not. Restoring voting rights is a key way for the formerly incarcerated to become involved and productive citizens.

Please, PLEASE support SJ1 so the PUBLIC can vote to provide voting rights for felons when they are released from incarceration. It is time to allow Virginians to vote and allow released felons to automatically have full-fledged rights. The opportunity to fully participate increases success in the community upon return to the community. Just allow Virginians to have the chance to vote on the amendment proposed in SJ1.

I am writing to urge your support for the constitutional amendment to restore voting rights for individuals who have been released from incarceration after serving their sentence for a felony (SJ 1). Once these individuals have paid their debt to society and have been released to make a fresh start, we should support them, including giving them a stake in their communities by restoring their ability to participate in our democratic process. Governors from both parties have used their executive authority to restore voting rights to people who were formerly incarcerated. But restoration should be automatic. The period of disability should end with one’s sentence and not depend on the views of the person occupying the Governor’s Mansion when one is released. Everyone deserves a second chance, including released prisoners. Please approve the constitutional amendment and have it submitted to the voters in November for their consideration.

Please restore the voting rights of released prisoners. Serving your term is punishment enough. Prison is supposed to reform criminals. A lifetime ban on voting is not reformation.

Please vote to report SJ 1 to the House to restore voting rights to released prisoners. The full House and then the citizens of our Commonwealth should be allowed to vote on this core principle of republican government - whether or not people who have fulfilled their sentences in accordance with the law should be forever denied full citizenship. Let voters decide. All Virginians should also be open to the idea that everyone deserves a second chance. This is a fundamental truth in every religious tradition, in almost every system of ethics, and in much of our state's legal code already. Let's give released prisoners the opportunity to be full citizens and fully human. John Dister

I urge the Subcommittee to approve SJ1, the constitutional amendment on the restoration of voting rights for persons convicted of a felony who have completed their sentences. As Delegate Cherry said in a recent article, "My faith teaches me that people make mistakes, and they can be redeemed from those mistakes and become, in this case, contributing members to society again. I don’t think we should impose lifetime restrictions and punishments on people when the courts did not deem it necessary to give them a life sentence." My own faith teaches me the same lessons. The restoration of voting rights should be automatic upon a person's release from incarceration and should not be left up to the inclinations of whoever the governor may be at the time. Such restoration tells the person that he or she has been accepted back into society and is expected to fulfill his or her civic responsibilities while enjoying the rights of citizenship. Thank you for considering my views.

I support SJ 1.

The most important democratic legislation before the General Assembly this year is SJ 1. This bill would go a long way towards Virginia being a state that embraces the wisdom of democracy. In a democracy, all citizens of sound mind and the age of majority should have an equal voice. The marginalization of some of those voices skews the body politic so that our political leaders are not accountable to all citizens. This has never been good for the health of the Commonwealth.

Comments Document

The movement of this bill to the subcommittee is a transparent tactic to prevent its consideration by the member of the House of Delegates. The failure to move this compromise amendment out of subcommittee for consideration by the house is tantamount to a determined maintenance of second-class citizenship for 360,000 Virginians who pay taxes and are impacted by laws at the local, state, and national level without representation. Those who fail to support the just restoration of the franchise are not heroines or heroes of our democracy. Their names and legacy will not be with Lincoln, but with J Taylor Ellyson, John Goode, and A. J. Montague. See attached review of the 1902 Constitution.

All persons should have a right to vote. If you have paid your debt to society you should be declared a full citizen, not a second class person. You need the right to vote. Voting makes you a more participating citizen and you can take pride in being a full citizen and hopefully want to participate and bring good to your city, state and county . Please let the citizens of our state decide on this issue. SJ1

I ask you to report SJ1 and let the full House of Delegates vote on this Constitutional Amendment. And I ask you to again support SJ1 when it comes to the floor of the House. I believe Virginia's voters want to vote on this Amendment and expect you as legislators to enable them to do so. I've never lost my right to vote but I know people who have. I know people need to feel they have a stake in civil society. I know that our treatment of returning citizens is counter-productive and a stain on our state's reputation. I believe that voting is as much a responsibility as a right, and I ask you to take the next step toward making returning citizens responsible citizens.

I urge you to support SJ! Please vote YES and ask for the amendment to go to the House floor. Let Virginia voters decide in the November election whether people who have served their time should be able to automatically have their right to vote restored. Thank you very much.

The Constitution of the Commonwealth is where we place our highest collective ideals, not our basest irrational fears. The current constitution has a marriage provision that does not provide for the equal protection of the laws and can never be conformed to do so. That language is there because of irrational fear and nothing in our experience as a Commonwealth in the 7 years since it was struck down has shown us that the fear was ever justified. The voters of the Commonwealth, all of them regardless of religious declaration, deserve the right to honor our highest collective ideals, correct this error, and heal the wound. Send SJ5 to the House floor for a full and fair vote to make that so.

In the 7 years since the federal courts decided that the existing Virginia constitutional provision on marriage denied Virginia citizens the equal protection of the laws, the only things that have happened in Virginia are good things. Families could again go about living their lives without the threat to their security that the error in the Virginia constitution caused them for nearly a decade. Now, some in the Commonwealth wish to return to those bad old days with a hail mary pass to the Supreme Court at some unspecified time in the future in support of a religious view held by some, but certainly not all, Virginians. Even if they were to be successful, the existing constitutional provision can never provide the equal protection of the laws required. My husband and I deserve the respect of the Commonwealth for our family and we deserve to live our lives in peace, security, and the confidence that we can provide for each other. The existing constitutional provision and the disrespect it engenders can never be made right until it is removed from the constitution. All citizens of Virginia deserve the right to have their voices heard to heal the Commonwealth. I urge this committee to do the right and honorable thing for the Commonwealth and advance SJ5 to the floor for a full and fair vote.

Please allow SJ5 move to the floor for a fare vote.

Affirming the inherent worth and dignity of all people is a cornerstone principle of our faith as a religious institution. Inherent worth and dignity comes with equal protection of the laws which the current constitutional provision on marriage does not provide. One simply cannot honorably argue that they affirm inherent worth and dignity at the same time that they oppose an affirmative right to marry, which some other religious denominations have claimed in testimony before you. There does not exist a monolithic religious viewpoint in Virginia. This amendment is required to reverse a grievous error and to allow Virginians to vote for healing the damage done to thousands of Virginia families. Seven years of legal same sex marriage in Virginia has proven nothing else but that love wins and that affirming inherent worth and dignity is good for the Commonwealth. It is well known that polling of Virginians on the subject of same sex marriage places approval in the range of 70%. It is also more than apparent that at majority of the House of Delegates would be expected to approve sending SJ5 to the ballot based upon votes by the same Delegates on the identical bill in the last session. SJ 5 deserves a fair hearing and a fair vote on the floor of the House of Delegates during this 2022 session.