On April 22, 2016, Virginia’s governor Terry McAuliffe restored the voting rights, and right to run for office and be a notary public, for over two hundred thousand people who have completed their felony sentences, and any supervised release, parole or probation. This good news came the same week as the bad news that Virginia’s legislature had passed a law shielding the identity of lethal execution drug manufacturers.

Virginia’s Constitution provides that “No person who has been convicted of a felony shall be qualified to vote unless his civil rights have been restored by the Governor or other appropriate authority.” Va. Const. art. II, §  1

Here is a New York Times article on the issue and effects of depriving convicted felons of voting rights in Virginia and other states.