democratic governor of virginia terry mcauliffe issued an unprecedented executive order to immediately restore voting rights to an estimated 200,000 people. each of these individuals have completed their felony prison, probation and parole sentences.
virginia is one of four u.s. states, along with florida, iowa and kentucky, to disenfranchise all people with felony convictions for life, unless they can secure a pardon from their governor. mcauliffe's decision will remain in effect until at least the end of his term in 2018.
this order does not cover people who are released in the future. according to his aides, mcauliffe intends to issue similar executive orders each month to continue to restore voting rights to people as they complete their sentences.
mcauliffe said, "there's no question that we've had a horrible history in voting rights as relates to african-americans; we should remedy it." virginia previously had the fourth highest rate of felony disenfranchisement in the nation - and the third highest for black people.
marc mauer, executive director of the sentencing project said, "this will be the single most significant action on disenfranchisement that we've ever seen from a governor. it's noteworthy that it's coming in the middle of the term, not the day before he leaves office. so there may be some political heat but clearly he's willing to take that on, which is quite admirable."
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