In April, Virginia’s governor, Terry McAuliffe, tried to restore voting rights to more than 200,000 people who had completed their sentences. “I want you back in society,” Mr. McAuliffe, a Democrat, said. I want you voting, getting a job, paying taxes.”But Republican lawmakers objected, saying Mr. McAuliffe did not have constitutional authority to issue a blanket restoration. The State Supreme Court agreed, ruling 4 to 3 that he could restore voting rights only case by case. But Mr. McAuliffe has followed it by restoring voting rights one by one to roughly 13,000 Virginians who had registered to vote before the court decision.

Source: New York Times September 10, 2016 01:41 UTC