Voting rights after incarceration

Current assessment

Favor restoring political rights on release from felony incarceration. The core judgment is that release should restore political membership, including the vote.

What the proposal changes

The proposed amendment restores political rights automatically on release from incarceration for a felony conviction. It also limits incapacity-based voting exclusion to inability to understand the act of voting.

The strongest objection

Restoration would follow release even while supervision continues, including after serious offenses.

Source check and limits

Official proposed amendment checked October 7, 2026. The public assessment does not estimate the population newly eligible under the current legal baseline.

Reference documents

• www.elections.virginia.gov · source 1
• www.elections.virginia.gov · source 2