“Once I got those rights back … I made it my duty to be here.”
LaVaughn Williams is a former felon who voted for the first time in Virginia today. Listen to her talk about the power of the ballot pic.twitter.com/wQWjTXeSn4
— Sam Levine (@srl) November 7, 2017
This will be the first election for thousands of Virginians who thought they’d never be able to vote
No one takes the right to vote for granted after that right has been taken away. And no one, arguably, rejoices in the right to vote quite like someone who has had that right taken away and then restored again.
“Just bubbling in those little bubbles” on the ballot, says LaVaughn Williams (featured in the above video recorded by Sam Levine of HuffPost), “gave me such a sense of power and excitement. I can’t explain the feeling that I feel right now. I’m just so elated and I hope that my vote makes a difference!”
Tuesday’s election for governor in Virginia is the second chance for as many as 168,000 people like Williams. These Virginians had their voting rights taken away for life, automatically, because they were convicted of a felony — then had them restored under current Gov. Terry McAuliffe, and now have a chance to vote for his successor.
HuffPost’s Levine has been posting Twitter videos of people who’ve voted Tuesday for the first time in decades, or ever. “I never thought that I would be in this situation right now,” Williams told him. “If you had asked me two years ago, I would have said no, I would never vote. But once I got those rights back, once I got that letter stating that I could vote, I made it my duty to be here.”
Tips, Comments, Complaints, Etc
I so wanted to post this essay I’m FB but I get an error message with complicated — to a Luddite like me at least — instructions. Anything you can do on your end to make this functional?
Thanks for all you do to help some of us maintain what’s left of our sanity! ?
On FB is what I meant of course…..
Not exactly sure what you are asking for. Is it that you want to post this to Facebook? If it is perhaps someone could help you. If it is something else give a bit more information.
Felony Disenfranchisement: A Holdover from the Jim Crow Era by Ben Jealous in 2013
Ex-Felons Voting for the First Time Could Shake Virginia Governor’s Race
N.J. should restore voting rights to non-violent ex-felons
In Florida, Felons Want Voting Rights Back As Soon As They Complete Their Sentences
Barring felons from voting weakens democracy
This provides some information on the subject.
http://www.ncsl.org/research/elections-and-campaigns/felon-voting-rights.aspx
Barriers to the Restoration of Rights
Flori-dumb has always had the ex-felons jump through major hoops to get their voting rights back. They have to get a personal pardon from the governor. When you have an indicted FRightwinger like Scott, forget it! T and R, LD!!