News & Commentary

Black History Month ends today, but racial injustices persist and remain a pervasive part of Black lives and Black experiences in America. It is important to take a long hard look at the history we carry and examine systems of racial oppression and how they manifest in modern-day Virginia.

By Paul Smith, vice president of Campaign Legal Center, and Claire Gastañaga, executive director of the ACLU of Virginia. This op-ed was originally published in The Roanoke Times on Sunday, Feb.9, 2020.

We look to Dr. King as a beacon of hope as we continue his work and the work of those who came before us to free all people from the shadows of oppression, so that all of us can breathe free and have a voice in our America.

Voting by no-excuse absentee ballot has been successful in other localities across the country. Adopting a true no-excuse absentee voting would simplify the process, increase voter participation, and help expand Virginians' access to cast their vote they deserve.

It is time to join the 19 other states that have passed same-day registration and eliminate this unnecessary barrier to the ballot box. We need to make it easier for people to vote, and that starts with getting rid of voter registration deadlines that disproportionately silence communities of color.

On this Giving Tuesday, we at the ACLU of Virginia would like to say thank you. Thank you to each of our donors, members, partners, clients, and supporters. Thank you for your bravery, trust, and generosity. Each of you contributes to the impact we make and the forward progress we have created.

Voting in America is our fundamental right, not a privilege. It’s our duty to protect everyone’s voting rights by electing people who will work to end voter disenfranchisement.

Voting is our fundamental right as citizens, and everyone who is eligible to vote should have equal access to exercise their rights. However, there is a misconception that people who are confined in a jail or formerly incarcerated have lost that right completely.

The right to vote is fundamental to our democracy. It must be treated as irrevocable. Politicians should not be able to use the right to vote to reward or punish people. The right to vote should be treated in the same respect as other fundamental rights in our democracy, such as freedom of religion