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Virginia Elections 2021

Protect Voting Rights in Virginia!

Get Out the Vote for Virginia’s 2021 Elections

In contrast to states such as Georgia, Texas and Florida -- which have passed racist voter suppression laws in recent years -- Virginia has become, as the New York Times put it, “a voting rights bastion.”

In the past year, Virginia has

  • Instituted 45 days of early voting
  • Implemented no-excuse absentee voting
  • Repealed the state’s photo ID law
  • Enacted automatic voter registration for anyone who receives a Virginia driver’s license
  • Made Election Day a state holiday
  • Required public feedback or state Attorney General approval for local election changes, such as moving voting precincts
  • Passed a Voter’s Bill of Rights that expressly prohibits racial discrimination or intimidation related to voting, allowing voters and the state Attorney General to sue over voter discrimination.
  • Passed a constitutional amendment creating a bipartisan redistricting commission to eliminate partisan gerrymandering
  • Begun the process of amending the state constitution to restore voting rights to people with past felony convictions.

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The Times notes that these measures “recreate pivotal elements of the federal Voting Rights Act that were struck down by the Supreme Court’s conservative majority in 2013.”

On November 2, Virginians will go to the polls to elect a new governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, and state delegates. These newly elected policymakers will decide the future of the state’s voting rights laws. Reclaim Our Vote wants to help protect the advances Virginia has made by encouraging voter turnout in key communities.

Starting in August, Reclaim Our Vote intends to send postcards to almost one million Virginia voters of color in the following locations:

Arlington County
Chesterfield County
Fairfax County
Henrico County
Loudoun County
Prince William County

City of Alexandria
City of Hampton
City of Newport News
City of Norfolk
City of Richmond
City of Suffolk
City of Virginia Beach

We will be mailing infrequent voters of color and those who don't usually vote in off-year elections to remind them that early voting starts September 17 and that their voting rights are at stake. Another round of postcards will be sent in September, reminding them to vote in this crucial election.

If you would like to help with our Virginia postcard campaign, please sign up on our Postcards page. 
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We are also partnering with Black Voters Matter on phonebanking in Virginia to encourage eligible prospective voters to register to vote before the October 12 deadline. Virginia phonebanks will start in late August. Check out and sign up for our current phonebanks here. 
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Let’s keep Virginia moving forward!