Virginia voters approved three amendments to the state constitution Tuesday. Once the amendments take effect, the measures will protect reproductive healthcare rights, enshrine marriage equality and automatically restore voting rights to people convicted of felonies upon their release from incarceration.
The Associated Press called Question 1 shortly after 9 p.m. and the other two questions later in the evening.
Statewide results
Unofficial results at 10:28 p.m. with 132 of 133 localities reporting show the amendments received the following support:
- Question 1 (Reproductive freedom): 1,889,342 votes (61.98 percent)
- Question 2 (Marriage equality): 1,756,498 votes (57.18 percent)
- Question 3 (Voting rights restoration): 1,712,512 votes (55.86 percent)
The amendment protecting reproductive rights received the highest level of support statewide. The voting rights restoration measure received the least support of the three.
Local breakdowns
Roanoke City voters favored all three amendments based on final unofficial counts. In the city of Salem, voters supported the reproductive freedom amendment but opposed the measures for marriage equality and voting rights. Early partial results from Roanoke County and Franklin County showed less support for the measures than in Roanoke City.
Constitutional changes
The reproductive freedom amendment protects decisions regarding birth control, prenatal care, childbirth, miscarriage management and abortion. It prevents doctors, nurses and patients from being punished for these healthcare choices. The measure allows restrictions on abortion in the third trimester, except when the patient’s health is at risk or the pregnancy cannot survive.
The marriage equality amendment removes an unenforceable same-sex marriage ban from the constitution. It affirms that two adults may marry regardless of sex, gender or race. The previous ban has been ineffective since a 2015 U.S. Supreme Court ruling.
The third amendment establishes a fundamental right to vote. While individuals convicted of a felony cannot vote while incarcerated, their rights will be automatically restored upon release. Until now, Virginia has been the only state that required a governor to manually restore voting rights for those with felony convictions.
Results are unofficial and subject to change. Provisional ballots and eligible mailed absentee ballots have not yet been counted. Results become official after certification by local electoral boards and the State Board of Elections. Race calls are by The Associated Press.
The post Virginia voters approve amendments on reproductive rights, marriage and voting rights first appeared on News/Talk 960-AM & FM-107.3 WFIR.
