Governor Abigail Spanberger of Virginia made a significant announcement during the anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington, emphasizing the restoration of voting rights for 100,000 state residents, including those who have served their time for felony convictions. Speaking at the Lincoln Memorial, Spanberger highlighted the importance of voting rights and the ongoing struggle for civil rights in the United States.
Spanberger, who took office in January 2026, has been a vocal advocate for voting rights and civil liberties. In her speech, she emphasized that the right to vote is more than just casting a ballot—it is about ensuring that every person has a voice in the democracy. "The right to vote is about more than a ballot—it is about whether we believe every person should have a voice in our democracy, and I do," she said.
Virginia was one of only three states that permanently stripped voting rights from citizens with felony convictions. Spanberger's administration has worked to change this, restoring the voting rights of 66,000 Virginians who had previously been disenfranchised. "The Governor has the sole discretion over whether the restoration process is transparent or done behind closed doors," Spanberger noted, adding that her administration has chosen transparency and ease of access for those seeking to have their rights restored.
The governor's remarks were a poignant reminder of the history of civil rights struggles in Virginia. She recounted the story of Sam Harris, a Virginian who had his voting rights restored and expressed his pride in being able to cast a ballot. Harris spoke of the responsibility he felt to ensure his daughter understood the importance of voting and the significance of his restored right to vote, which he described as "something my ancestors died for."
Spanberger also highlighted the state's rich history of civil rights activism, noting the contributions of figures like the Freedom Riders, Dorothy Height, and L. Douglas Wilder, the first Black governor in the United States. She pointed out that Virginia has made significant strides in recent years, electing record numbers of Black legislators, women, and the nation's first Muslim woman to statewide office as Lieutenant Governor.
Despite these advancements, Spanberger acknowledged that the struggle for voting rights and civil rights is far from over. She criticized the dismantling of protections provided by the Voting Rights Act by the U.S. Supreme Court and the efforts of some states to make voting more difficult. "We have a President who continues to lie—repeatedly, verifiably, shamelessly—about the results of an election he lost," she said, adding that this president and a complicit Congress have used those lies to undermine American democracy.
Spanberger's speech at the Lincoln Memorial was a powerful reminder of the ongoing fight for civil rights and voting rights in the United States. By restoring the voting rights of thousands of Virginians and commemorating the 1963 March on Washington, she has demonstrated her commitment to ensuring that every eligible resident has a voice in the democracy.
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