RICHMOND, Va. — Virginia lawmakers are considering dueling proposals to restore voting rights for people convicted of a felony.
The Richmond Times-Dispatch reports that there appears to be ample support for the concept among Democrats. But the House and Senate have approved different proposals.
Lawmakers will have to decide how far they want to go within a matter of weeks. A resolution introduced by Del. Charniele Herring would automatically restore voting rights for people who had been convicted of a felony upon their release from prison.
A resolution proposed by Sen. Mamie Locke aims to go further by eliminating any language that removes a person’s right to vote due to a felony conviction or because they’ve been deemed mentally incompetent.
