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
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.
We are working 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.
We are also phone banking in Virginia to get out the vote. We are calling voter of color to encourage them to vote early, and to inform them of voting dates and locations. You can sign up for our current phone banks here.
Let’s keep Virginia moving forward!