CHURCH GROUPS PUSH TO MAKE VOTING EASIER FOR EX-FELONS

More than a decade ago, Ronald Benton was convicted of trying to sell
cocaine. He spent nearly two years in prison, completed his parole in 1993
and paid his debt to society.

Then he redeemed himself.

Today, Benton is the quintessential solid citizen. He's married, a father
and grandfather. He's an associate pastor at Mt. Lebanon Missionary Baptist
Church in Chesapeake, where he lives. He owns a painting contracting
business that aids charities, pays thousands of dollars a year in taxes and
employs up to a dozen people.

Yet because of his criminal past, Benton still cannot exercise one of a
citizen's most important public responsibilities. He's not allowed to vote.

Virginia law makes it extremely hard for ex-felons to ever again mark a
ballot. Only a small fraction of the state's estimated 270,000 ex-felons
regain voting rights.

While 37 states automatically restore this right to convicts who complete
their sentence or a subsequent waiting period, Virginia's complicated system
requires case-by-case approval from the governor.

``If the state says we've been reformed after paying our dues, going through
parole and the sentenced time, why can't we be given the same opportunities
as others?'' Benton said. ``What kind of message are you sending to me?''

To Catholic Bishop Walter F. Sullivan of the Richmond diocese, the answer is
clear.

``It says that we still want to punish them,'' Sullivan said. ``But, from a
human perspective, if they've done their time, they ought to be reinstated
fully. They ought to be able to get to vote.''

The Catholic diocese is among a growing number of religious groups in
Virginia that believe the state's policy violates Christian principles of
forgiveness and redemption.

This summer the 340,000-member Virginia Conference of the United Methodist
Church endorsed restoration of voting rights to felons who've completed
their sentence.

Last month, representatives from several South Hampton Roads churches
gathered at Chesapeake's Bethany Baptist Church and launched a petition
drive urging legislators to relax the requirements for restoring rights.
Victoria Adams, who wrote the resolution approved by the Virginia
Methodists, said, ``I see the church as absolutely the community that has
the resources and should have the will to make this move.''

Benton, who has never voted in his life, said the restoration process is so
intimidating that it has discouraged him from applying. Other critics say
the application is even more daunting for the many ex-felons who are
illiterate or poorly educated.

``The Virginia process is harder than God -- God forgives,'' said Sen.
Yvonne B. Miller, D-Norfolk , who is among the legislators who favor
changing the system.

Greater church involvement might influence lawmakers who have opposed the
change, Miller said.

``There's a large number of people who know they cannnot be elected in their
community without the support of certain groups, including churches,'' she
said.

State Sen. Kenneth W. Stolle, a Virginia Beach Republican who chairs the
Virginia State Crime Commission, has been among opponents of restored voting
rights.

But this summer, he appointed a task force to study how the process could be
changed.

Stolle still opposes any system that would automatically restore voting
rights, but he said he would ``probably be supportive'' of one that could
return rights to nonviolent offenders without requiring gubernatorial
approval.

Stolle said the current process, which depends on action by the governor,
``is not working right now.''

Any change endorsed by the legislature would have to be approved by a
statewide referendum changing the state constitution.

Stolle said that church calls for a fairer restoration process could
influence some legislators indirectly.

``I think the members of the General Assembly try to do what they think is
right,'' he said. ``A lot of that is based on Christian principles or other
religious principles they follow.''

While some Christians like Sullivan call the issue one of simple justice and
forgiveness, other church members, such as the Rev. Jake Manley of Bethany
Baptist, say racial justice is also involved.

Blacks make up a larger share of Virginia's prison population than they do
the state's overall population. As a result, the denial of rights to
ex-felons disproportionately affects blacks.

According to The Sentencing Project, a nonprofit group in Washington, D.C.,
25 percent of all black men in Virginia are denied voting and civil rights
as ex-felons.

``They're inflicting the same thing on us as the poll tax,'' Manley said,
referring to lawmakers.

Legislative opponents to restoration typically cite a different reason for
their view, said Norfolk's Democratic Del. Jerrauld C. Jones, who has led
the General Assembly's black caucus in campaigning for restored voting
rights.

``Somehow, you're `soft on crime' when you vote to let someone get back the
right to vote,'' he said.

Exactly how much of the faith community actively supports voting-rights
restoration is unclear. According to their local offices, Episcopalians,
Presbyterians and Southern Baptists haven't taken a stand on the issue.

The Baptist General Association of Virginia has no formal position on the
issue, either. But its president, Darrell Foster, said: ``I certainly, from
a personal standing -- as a Christian -- would believe if we're truly going
to do more than lip service to the idea of rehabilitation, that once a
person has done their time they should get back their vote.''