News & Commentary

On July 1, hundreds of new laws passed by the Virginia General Assembly earlier this year went into effect. The Virginia legislature made great strides and greenlit a handful of important reforms that had been rejected time and time again in the past. Rather than attacking people’s rights and freedoms, lawmakers passed legislation that made it easier for people to vote, expanded abortion access, protected LGBTQ+ people from discrimination and started chipping away at the countless injustices in our criminal legal system.

For decades, Virginia has been one of the most difficult places in the country for voters to cast their ballots. Thankfully, the latest session of the Virginia legislature passed a historic slate of election reforms to create a more equitable, modern voting system.

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.