Virginia Rising

By Todd Allen Wilson, Voting rights activist Kemba Smith is making a tour of local universities next week to encourage people to join efforts to get Gov. Bob McDonnell to issue an executive order restoring the voting rights to convicted felons who have served their time. Read more here.

By Michael Pope, When 20-year-old Brian Henriquez was a student at Herndon High School, he was part of a championship step team. The group performed a rhythmic dance style that involved clapping and stomping. He’s since given it up because he has asthma, and perhaps more importantly, no health insurance. Read more here.

Por Randy Serrano, Estos latinos del área están llamando al congresista republicano Frank Wolf de Virginia para pedirle que apoye la reforma migratoria. Esa es parte de la agenda para un grupo de hispanos que se reunieron hoy en Sterling Virginia para hablar sobre la legislación y para planear más esfuerzos de cabildeo como una marcha programada para el primero …

By Larry O’Dell, Nonviolent felons who finish serving their sentences and maintain a clean record after that will regain their right to vote and other civil rights on an individual basis without having to apply, Gov. Bob McDonnell said Wednesday. Read more here.

By Julian Walker, Advocates seeking automatic restoration of voting rights for felons are asking Gov. Bob McDonnell for help after legislation he supported to create that pathway failed this year. Read more here.

By Errin Whack, RICHMOND — Michael Edwards had been rejected three times to have his voting rights restored. It took him almost 20 years to ask again. Read more here.

By Todd Allen Wilson, Gov. Bob McDonnell used this year’s State of the Commonwealth address to throw his support behind legislative efforts to automatically restore voting rights to nonviolent felons who have paid their debt to society. Read more here.

By Larry O’Dell, RICHMOND, Va. — Two civil rights groups are urging Gov. Bob McDonnell to sign an executive order restoring the voting rights of about 350,000 felons who have completed their sentences. Edgardo Cortes of the Advancement Project said Wednesday that Virginia is one of only four states that permanently strip felons of their civil rights — voting, holding …

By Paul Shepard, Michael Edwards, a community leader in southern Virginia, spent eight years in prison for a marijuana-trafficking conviction in the 1970s. But he said he feels like he was punished for more than 30 years — the time it took for him to regain his voting rights in Virginia. Read more here.

By Brentin Mock, Count Virginia as the newest member of a small pack of states requiring photo identification cards in order to vote. This morning Gov. Bob McDonnell signed into law a new voter ID law that would go into effect in 2014, a crucial election year for congressional seats. Read more here.