{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/53.1-231.2.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/53.1-231.2.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/53.1-231.2.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/53.1-231.2.html"}],"law_id":64394,"edition_id":1,"section_id":64394,"structure_id":16173,"section_number":"53.1-231.2","catch_line":"Restoration of the civil right to be eligible to register to vote to certain persons","history":"2000, c. 969; 2003, c. 946; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, cc. 550, 551.","full_text":"This section shall apply to any person who is not a qualified voter because of a felony conviction, who seeks to have his right to register to vote restored and become eligible to register to vote, and who meets the conditions and requirements set out in this section.\n\t\tAny person, other than a person (i) convicted of a violent felony as defined in \u00a7 19.2-297.1 or in subsection C of \u00a7 17.1-805 and any crime ancillary thereto; (ii) convicted of a felony pursuant to \u00a7 4.1-1101, 18.2-248, 18.2-248.01, 18.2-248.1, 18.2-255, 18.2-255.2, or 18.2-258.02; or (iii) convicted of a felony pursuant to \u00a7 24.2-1016, may petition the circuit court of the county or city in which he was convicted of a felony, or the circuit court of the county or city in which he presently resides, for restoration of his civil right to be eligible to register to vote through the process set out in this section. On such petition, the court may approve the petition for restoration to the person of his right if the court is satisfied from the evidence presented that the petitioner has completed, five or more years previously, service of any sentence and any modification of sentence including probation, parole, and suspension of sentence; that the petitioner has demonstrated civic responsibility through community or comparable service; and that the petitioner has been free from criminal convictions, excluding traffic infractions, for the same period.\n\t\tIf the court approves the petition, it shall so state in an order, provide a copy of the order to the petitioner, and transmit its order to the Secretary of the Commonwealth. The order shall state that the petitioner’s right to be eligible to register to vote may be restored by the date that is 90 days after the date of the order, subject to the approval or denial of restoration of that right by the Governor. The Secretary of the Commonwealth shall transmit the order to the Governor who may grant or deny the petition for restoration of the right to be eligible to register to vote approved by the court order. The Secretary of the Commonwealth shall send, within 90 days of the date of the order, to the petitioner at the address stated on the court’s order, a certificate of restoration of that right or notice that the Governor has denied the restoration of that right. The Governor’s denial of a petition for the restoration of voting rights shall be a final decision and the petitioner shall have no right of appeal. The Secretary shall notify the court and the State Board of Elections in each case of the restoration of the right or denial of restoration by the Governor.\n\t\tOn receipt of the certificate of restoration of the right to register to vote from the Secretary of the Commonwealth, the petitioner, who is otherwise a qualified voter, shall become eligible to register to vote.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":234353,"text":"This section shall apply to any person who is not a qualified voter because of a felony conviction, who seeks to have his right to register to vote restored and become eligible to register to vote, and who meets the conditions and requirements set out in this section.\n\t\tAny person, other than a person (i) convicted of a violent felony as defined in \u00a7 19.2-297.1 or in subsection C of \u00a7 17.1-805 and any crime ancillary thereto; (ii) convicted of a felony pursuant to \u00a7 4.1-1101, 18.2-248, 18.2-248.01, 18.2-248.1, 18.2-255, 18.2-255.2, or 18.2-258.02; or (iii) convicted of a felony pursuant to \u00a7 24.2-1016, may petition the circuit court of the county or city in which he was convicted of a felony, or the circuit court of the county or city in which he presently resides, for restoration of his civil right to be eligible to register to vote through the process set out in this section. On such petition, the court may approve the petition for restoration to the person of his right if the court is satisfied from the evidence presented that the petitioner has completed, five or more years previously, service of any sentence and any modification of sentence including probation, parole, and suspension of sentence; that the petitioner has demonstrated civic responsibility through community or comparable service; and that the petitioner has been free from criminal convictions, excluding traffic infractions, for the same period.\n\t\tIf the court approves the petition, it shall so state in an order, provide a copy of the order to the petitioner, and transmit its order to the Secretary of the Commonwealth. The order shall state that the petitioner’s right to be eligible to register to vote may be restored by the date that is 90 days after the date of the order, subject to the approval or denial of restoration of that right by the Governor. The Secretary of the Commonwealth shall transmit the order to the Governor who may grant or deny the petition for restoration of the right to be eligible to register to vote approved by the court order. The Secretary of the Commonwealth shall send, within 90 days of the date of the order, to the petitioner at the address stated on the court’s order, a certificate of restoration of that right or notice that the Governor has denied the restoration of that right. The Governor’s denial of a petition for the restoration of voting rights shall be a final decision and the petitioner shall have no right of appeal. The Secretary shall notify the court and the State Board of Elections in each case of the restoration of the right or denial of restoration by the Governor.\n\t\tOn receipt of the certificate of restoration of the right to register to vote from the Secretary of the Commonwealth, the petitioner, who is otherwise a qualified voter, shall become eligible to register to vote.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":16173,"edition_id":1,"name":"Restoration of Civil Rights","identifier":"12.1","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12717,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 04:08:07","date_modified":"2026-06-26 04:08:07","permalink":{"id":237809,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":16173,"identifier":"12.1","token":"53.1\/12.1","url":"\/53.1\/12.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12717,"edition_id":1,"name":"Prisons and Other Methods of Correction","identifier":"53.1","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:49","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:49","permalink":{"id":237591,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12717,"identifier":"53.1","token":"53.1","url":"\/53.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":74218,"structure_id":16173,"section_number":"53.1-231.1","catch_line":"Process for notification regarding restoration of civil rights","url":"\/53.1-231.1\/","token":"53.1\/12.1\/53.1-231.1","metadata":false},{"id":64394,"structure_id":16173,"section_number":"53.1-231.2","catch_line":"Restoration of the civil right to be eligible to register to vote to certain persons","url":"\/53.1-231.2\/","token":"53.1\/12.1\/53.1-231.2","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":74218,"structure_id":16173,"section_number":"53.1-231.1","catch_line":"Process for notification regarding restoration of civil rights","url":"\/53.1-231.1\/","token":"53.1\/12.1\/53.1-231.1","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/53.1-231.2\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 2000. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 969<\/a> of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. It has been modified 1 time. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. That modification is as follows: in 2003, chapter 946<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":[{"id":80246,"section_number":"17.1-805","catch_line":"Adoption of initial discretionary sentencing guideline midpoints","order_by":null,"url":"\/17.1-805\/"},{"id":68693,"section_number":"18.2-248","catch_line":"Manufacturing, selling, giving, distributing, or possessing with intent to manufacture, sell, give, or distribute a controlled substance or an imitation controlled substance prohibited; penalties","order_by":null,"url":"\/18.2-248\/"},{"id":76843,"section_number":"18.2-248.01","catch_line":"Transporting controlled substances into the Commonwealth; penalty","order_by":null,"url":"\/18.2-248.01\/"},{"id":60632,"section_number":"18.2-248.1","catch_line":"Penalties for sale, gift, distribution or possession with intent to sell, give or distribute marijuana","order_by":null,"url":"\/18.2-248.1\/"},{"id":55615,"section_number":"18.2-255","catch_line":"Distribution of certain drugs to persons under 18 prohibited; penalty","order_by":null,"url":"\/18.2-255\/"},{"id":79362,"section_number":"18.2-255.2","catch_line":"Prohibiting the sale or manufacture of drugs on or near certain properties; penalty","order_by":null,"url":"\/18.2-255.2\/"},{"id":54216,"section_number":"18.2-258.02","catch_line":"Maintaining a fortified drug house; penalty","order_by":null,"url":"\/18.2-258.02\/"},{"id":56020,"section_number":"19.2-297.1","catch_line":"Sentence of person twice previously convicted of certain violent felonies","order_by":null,"url":"\/19.2-297.1\/"},{"id":86258,"section_number":"24.2-1016","catch_line":"False statements; penalties","order_by":null,"url":"\/24.2-1016\/"},{"id":83418,"section_number":"4.1-1101","catch_line":"Home cultivation of marijuana for personal use; penalties","order_by":null,"url":"\/4.1-1101\/"}],"permalink":{"id":237815,"object_type":"law","relational_id":64394,"identifier":"53.1-231.2","token":"53.1\/12.1\/53.1-231.2","url":"\/53.1-231.2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/53.1-231.2\/","token":"53.1\/12.1\/53.1-231.2","dublin_core":{"Title":"Restoration of the civil right to be eligible to register to vote to certain persons","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 53.1-231.2","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

This section shall apply to any person who is not a qualified voter because of a felony<\/span> conviction<\/span>, who seeks to have his right to register to vote restored and become eligible to register to vote, and who meets the conditions and requirements set out in this section.\n\t\tAny person, other than a person (i) convicted of a violent felony<\/span> as defined in \u00a7 19.2-297.1<\/a> or in subsection C of \u00a7 17.1-805<\/a> and any crime<\/span> ancillary thereto; (ii) convicted of a felony<\/span> pursuant to \u00a7 4.1-1101<\/a>, 18.2-248<\/a>, 18.2-248.01<\/a>, 18.2-248.1<\/a>, 18.2-255<\/a>, 18.2-255.2<\/a>, or 18.2-258.02<\/a>; or (iii) convicted of a felony<\/span> pursuant to \u00a7 24.2-1016<\/a>, may petition<\/span> the circuit<\/span> court of the county or city in which he was convicted of a felony<\/span>, or the circuit<\/span> court of the county or city in which he presently resides, for restoration of his civil right to be eligible to register to vote through the process set out in this section. On such petition<\/span>, the court may approve the petition<\/span> for restoration to the person of his right if the court is satisfied from the evidence<\/span> presented that the petitioner has completed, five or more years previously, service of any sentence and any modification of sentence including probation<\/span>, parole<\/span>, and suspension of sentence; that the petitioner has demonstrated civic responsibility through community or comparable service; and that the petitioner has been free from criminal convictions<\/span>, excluding traffic infractions, for the same period.\n\t\tIf the court approves the petition<\/span>, it shall so state in an order, provide a copy of the order to the petitioner, and transmit its order to the Secretary of the Commonwealth. The order shall state that the petitioner’s right to be eligible to register to vote may be restored by the date that is 90 days after the date of the order, subject to the approval or denial of restoration of that right by the Governor. The Secretary of the Commonwealth shall transmit the order to the Governor who may grant or deny the petition<\/span> for restoration of the right to be eligible to register to vote approved by the court order<\/span>. The Secretary of the Commonwealth shall send, within 90 days of the date of the order, to the petitioner at the address stated on the court’s order, a certificate of restoration of that right or notice that the Governor has denied the restoration of that right. The Governor’s denial of a petition<\/span> for the restoration of voting rights shall be a final decision and the petitioner shall have no right of appeal<\/span>. The Secretary shall notify the court and the State Board<\/span> of Elections in each case of the restoration of the right or denial of restoration by the Governor.\n\t\tOn receipt of the certificate of restoration of the right to register to vote from the Secretary of the Commonwealth, the petitioner, who is otherwise a qualified voter, shall become eligible to register to vote.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nRESTORATION OF THE CIVIL RIGHT TO BE ELIGIBLE TO REGISTER TO VOTE TO CERTAIN\nPERSONS (\u00a7 53.1-231.2)\n\nThis section shall apply to any person who is not a qualified voter because of a\nfelony conviction, who seeks to have his right to register to vote restored and\nbecome eligible to register to vote, and who meets the conditions and\nrequirements set out in this section.\n\t\tAny person, other than a person (i) convicted of a violent felony as defined\nin \u00a7 19.2-297.1 or in subsection C of \u00a7 17.1-805 and any crime ancillary\nthereto; (ii) convicted of a felony pursuant to \u00a7 4.1-1101, 18.2-248,\n18.2-248.01, 18.2-248.1, 18.2-255, 18.2-255.2, or 18.2-258.02; or (iii)\nconvicted of a felony pursuant to \u00a7 24.2-1016, may petition the circuit court\nof the county or city in which he was convicted of a felony, or the circuit\ncourt of the county or city in which he presently resides, for restoration of\nhis civil right to be eligible to register to vote through the process set out\nin this section. On such petition, the court may approve the petition for\nrestoration to the person of his right if the court is satisfied from the\nevidence presented that the petitioner has completed, five or more years\npreviously, service of any sentence and any modification of sentence including\nprobation, parole, and suspension of sentence; that the petitioner has\ndemonstrated civic responsibility through community or comparable service; and\nthat the petitioner has been free from criminal convictions, excluding traffic\ninfractions, for the same period.\n\t\tIf the court approves the petition, it shall so state in an order, provide a\ncopy of the order to the petitioner, and transmit its order to the Secretary of\nthe Commonwealth. The order shall state that the petitioner’s right to be\neligible to register to vote may be restored by the date that is 90 days after\nthe date of the order, subject to the approval or denial of restoration of that\nright by the Governor. The Secretary of the Commonwealth shall transmit the\norder to the Governor who may grant or deny the petition for restoration of the\nright to be eligible to register to vote approved by the court order. The\nSecretary of the Commonwealth shall send, within 90 days of the date of the\norder, to the petitioner at the address stated on the court’s order, a\ncertificate of restoration of that right or notice that the Governor has denied\nthe restoration of that right. The Governor’s denial of a petition for the\nrestoration of voting rights shall be a final decision and the petitioner shall\nhave no right of appeal. The Secretary shall notify the court and the State\nBoard of Elections in each case of the restoration of the right or denial of\nrestoration by the Governor.\n\t\tOn receipt of the certificate of restoration of the right to register to vote\nfrom the Secretary of the Commonwealth, the petitioner, who is otherwise a\nqualified voter, shall become eligible to register to vote.\n\nHISTORY: 2000, c. 969; 2003, c. 946; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, cc. 550, 551.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}