RICHMOND, VA — The Virginia GOP has levied yet another attack against citizens in the Commonwealth and their constitutional right to vote. Coming just weeks after the Republicans’ campaign launch to get their voters to vote early, Richmond’s now GOP-controlled electoral board is making it harder to vote by closing all but one Richmond early voting location.
House Democratic Leaders and Candidates issued the following statements:
- City Council President and Democratic Candidate for HD77 Michael Jones warned that African American voters would be hit hardest by the decision. “This isn’t about who’s on the ballot and what’s on the ballot,” Jones said. “It’s about how easily accessible voting is.” [Axios, 7/27/23]
- House Democratic Leader Don Scott said, “The Republicans have done exactly what we’ve said they would do. They’re up and down social media advertising their early vote campaign, but the moment they have taken power they’re restricting the vote for Black voters and those who don’t follow their extreme MAGA agenda. Let’s take a look at who they are actually encouraging to turn out to vote. It’s not the people who look like me. It’s not the folks of south Richmond. They’re playing games with people’s fundamental rights and launching us back to a Jim Crow Virginia.”
- Delegate Delores McQuinn (HD-70) said, “It is so shameful and unfortunate that there are still efforts to suppress our voting rights. We know what to do; we have done it before, and we will do it again. Our responsibility is to begin mobilizing and organizing around getting all Virginians to the polls to exercise their God-given and constitutional right to vote.”
Members of the press interested in speaking with Leader Scott, Council President Jones or Delegate McQuinn should reach out to Morgan Hopkins at morgan@vahousedems.org.
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