Alexandria, VA 22309

8220 Russell Road

c/o Rising Hope United Methodist Mission Church

South County Voter Restoration Project

H ow Yo u C a n H e l p ?

We need many volunteers to find and assist exfelons who are eligible for restoration of their voting rights. You can help by: Writing articles and editorials to raise awareness Distributing Flyers Answering phones and making calls Data Entry Sending out letters Assisting with work shops Referring potentially eligible applicants

S o u t h C o u n t y Vo t e r R e s t o r a t i o n P ro j e c t

Seeking to assist eligible ex-felons who have served their debt to society in applying for the restoration of their voting rights in Virginia.
South County Voter Restoration Project c/o Rising Hope United Methodist Mission Church 8220 Russell Road Alexandria, VA 22309

For more information, to make suggestions or to volunteer contact us by email at Southcountyvotes@aol.com or by telephone at 571-335-VOTE (8683) Referring Potentially Eligible Applicants
If you know of someone who may be interested and eligible to apply for the restoration of voting rights refer them to the website below for prescreening If the person is able to access the .internet. If not, ask them to call the number above. http://restorerights.blogspot.com/

Southcountyvotes@aol.com 571-335-VOTE (8683)

Fe l o n D i s e n f r a n c h i s e m e n t i n V i r g i n i a
Voting Rights in Virginia Studies continue to show that formerly incarcerated persons who vote are less likely to commit another crime than those who dont. In South Fairfax County. . .

Voting is our most fundamental and basic right as Americans. Virginias constitution contains a provision that prevents an estimate of about 300,000 Virginia residents from voting. Felon disenfranchisement originated in the Jim Crow era when it was used, along with other tactics such as poll tax and literacy tests, to prevent minorities from voting. Although most states once had felon disfranchisement laws, these antiquated laws were eventually repealed over time. Today only Virginia and Kentucky still permanently disfranchise all persons convicted of a felony, requiring an individual act of the governor to restore voting rights. The majority of Virginias disenfranchised voters are law-abiding, tax-paying members of our state. They have repaid their debt to society and are important members of our communities. They deserve the right to vote.

A July 2011 report released by the Florida Parole Commission reported that the overall three-year recidivism rate based on all released inmates was 33..1, while the recidivism rate for released prisoners who were given their civil rights back and were allowed to vote stood at 11 percent.

A study by Christopher Uggen and Jeff Manza in 2002 found that ex-felons who voted in 1996 were half as likely to be arrested for committing new crimes between 1997 and 2000 than non-voting ex felons.

6.2% of the United States population are convicted felons

In Virginia 7% of the population are convicted felons

1 in 8 (13%) Black men are convicted felons

It is estimated that there are at least 2000 people in the Route 1 Corridor who are convicted felons whose right to vote could possibly be restored.