Nearly 3,500 Former Convicts Regain Right to Vote in Virginia

Glenn Youngkin is sworn in as the 74th governor of Virginia on the steps of the State Capitol in Richmond, Va., on Jan. 15, 2022. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

The civil rights of 3,496 formerly incarcerated Virginians were restored by the state’s Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin on Friday.

“I am encouraged that over 3,400 Virginians will take this critical first step towards vibrant futures as citizens with full civil rights,” Youngkin said in a May 20 press release. “Individuals with their rights restored come from every walk of life and are eager to provide for themselves, their families, and put the past behind them for a better tomorrow.”