Virginia ruling restores voting rights for many felons

May 5, 2026

Summary

A federal ruling will allow some Virginians with felony convictions to register to vote starting June 1.

Why this matters

The ruling will let some Virginians register to vote without a governor’s approval beginning June 1. It also affects a November ballot measure on whether to make rights restoration automatic in the state Constitution.

A federal court ruling this year found that Virginia’s rights-restoration process violated Civil War-era laws, clearing the way for people with felony convictions to vote in congressional elections this fall.

The court ruled that Virginia’s disenfranchisement of people with felony convictions violated the Readmission Acts, laws that required former Confederate states to guarantee voting rights for newly emancipated Black residents. The laws barred states from constitutionally disenfranchising people except for crimes considered common law at the time.

Under current Virginia law, people with felony convictions lost voting rights unless a governor restored them. A judge had set a May 1 deadline for state officials to ensure many modern crimes no longer trigger disenfranchisement. A joint filing last week by King’s lawyers and the office of Attorney General Jay Jones extended that deadline to June 1.

“We are committed to working with the Commonwealth to implement this historic expansion of voting rights and ensure newly eligible voters know their rights have been restored,” said American Civil Liberties Union attorney Vishal Agraharkar. “It’s past time for us to finally and formally right this wrong.”

The lawsuit at the center of the trial challenged former Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s change to a petition-based restoration process. Two previous governors had streamlined the process, and restoration numbers fell during Youngkin’s tenure.

Lawmakers also advanced a constitutional amendment to provide automatic restoration of voting rights. After passing the Legislature in two consecutive years, it will appear on the statewide ballot in November.

When Gov. Abigail Spanberger signed the measure to place the amendment on the ballot earlier this year, she said: “When Virginians have paid their debt to society, they deserve to regain their right to vote.”

As state agencies define which crimes may qualify or disqualify people under the ruling, June 1 will be the first day some can register without a governor’s approval.

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A new statewide report found Hawaii nonprofits face rising demand, workforce shortages, and limited financial flexibility as lawmakers finalize state budget priorities and uncertainty continues over federal funding.

Released Tuesday by the Hawaii Alliance of Nonprofit Organizations, “The View From Here: Insights from Hawaii Nonprofits” said Hawaii has 8,037 registered charitable organizations, including 5,982 that are financially active. More than 90% of nonprofits serve rural areas.

Together, nonprofits generate $45.4 billion in economic output, or 11.9% of the state’s gross domestic product, and employ 10.3% of the civilian workforce.

Hawaii’s high cost of living was a major management challenge for 58% of nonprofits, the report said. Only 27% said they could pay all full-time employees a living wage, compared with 42% nationally, while 26% said they could not pay a living wage to any full-time staff. Another 39% reported difficulty recruiting enough workers to meet demand.

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The report said 73% of organizations had difficulty raising unrestricted revenue, and only one-quarter received most of their funding in flexible form. More than half reported late government payments, some by more than 90 days. About 1 in 5 had one month or less of cash on hand, and nearly half had no reserve funds beyond operating cash.

About 22% of Hawaii nonprofits reported operating at a deficit in 2024, lower than the national rate, but the report said low reserves and restricted funding pointed to a weaker financial position. It also said 66% of Hawaii nonprofits had annual budgets under $1 million, compared with 45% nationally.

The report said federal grants that support health care, human services, and Native Hawaiian-serving programs were politically vulnerable. It recommended more multiyear and unrestricted funding, better indirect cost reimbursement, simpler grant processes, and more investment in workforce development.
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Murder trial opens in 2022 Chinatown bus stop shooting

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Samuel Carter, also known as Tony Johnson, went on trial this week in the Aug. 19, 2022, death of Alize Agresor-Ayala, a 24-year-old pregnant woman who was sitting at a Chinatown bus stop.

Carter, 62, was indicted on charges of second-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder, unlawful ownership or possession of a firearm, and two counts of carrying a firearm in the commission of a separate felony.

According to police reports and court documents, Agresor-Ayala was arguing with family friend Michael Yonenaga when her husband, Manuel Thomas, approached. After the argument ended, Carter, who knew Agresor-Ayala, came up from behind Yonenaga and fired one shot, according to police. Authorities said the shot struck Agresor-Ayala in the head and nearly hit Yonenaga, leading to the attempted murder charge.

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South Carolina kratom limits stalled, likely to return

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A South Carolina bill to further restrict kratom stalled in the Senate on Thursday, ending its chances of becoming law this year. Senators said they expected the issue to return next year, with three days left in the 2026 regular session.

Opponents said the bill would effectively remove kratom from stores, including lower-potency products some people use for chronic pain or to avoid opioids. Supporters said any death linked to kratom was too many and argued that the current law does not limit potency.

Lawmakers last year barred anyone under 21 from buying kratom, a substance whose effects can vary by dose. House members pushing the new bill said stronger limits were needed because some products can cause addiction, liver toxicity, and death.

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Federal agents executed court-authorized search warrants Wednesday at properties in Portsmouth tied to Virginia Senate President Pro Tempore Louise Lucas, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The FBI’s Richmond Field Office said it was conducting “court-authorized federal search warrant” activity in Portsmouth and said there was no threat to public safety. The agency said the investigation was ongoing and that no additional information was available Wednesday afternoon.

Television footage and photos posted online showed federal agents and law enforcement vehicles outside locations associated with Lucas, including her legislative office and a nearby cannabis business in Portsmouth.

In a statement released Wednesday evening, Lucas said, “Today’s actions by federal agents are about far more than one state senator; they are about power and who is allowed to use it on behalf of the people. What we saw fits a clear pattern from this administration: when challenged, they try to intimidate and silence the voices who stand up to them.”

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County Council passed an ordinance Feb. 23 authorizing the purchase. Chairperson Alice Howard said Thursday the county was waiting to close on the sale.

The property has been vacant for more than a year. When council approved the purchase, county staff wrote: “Acquiring the parcel at this time provides the county with strategic flexibility and reduces the likelihood that private redevelopment would constrain future improvement options or significantly increase acquisition costs.”

Howard said the county wants to preserve the corner to support future redesign of the Ribaut Road-Lady’s Island Drive intersection, a main route for traffic between Lady’s Island, the Sea Islands, Port Royal, and Beaufort. In 2025, average daily traffic on Lady’s Island Drive between Meridian Drive on Lady’s Island and Casablanca Circle in Port Royal was 28,000 vehicles, according to the South Carolina Department of Transportation.

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A 20-year-old Kinston man was arrested May 7 in an investigation into the online exploitation of minors, according to the Craven County Sheriff’s Office.

The sheriff’s office said Ashton French was arrested by its Internet Crimes Against Children unit with assistance from the State Bureau of Investigation and the Kinston Police Department.

Officials said the investigation began in December 2025 after the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children sent a CyberTip involving the online solicitation of a minor through Snapchat.

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