On Friday, the first day Virginians can vote early in the Democratic primary, Virginia candidate for lieutenant governor Del. Sam Rasoul (D-11) announced a plan to ensure the right to vote is never taken away from any Virginia citizen and get corporate money out of Virginia politics. The plan’s release follows Rasoul’s endorsement this week from Delegate Cia Price (D-95), co-author of the Virginia Voting Rights Act.

In 2017, Rasoul was the only member of the General Assembly to reject all corporate PAC donations, and in his campaign for Lieutenant Governor, he has pledged that every dollar into his campaign will be from individual donors only. Rasoul’s plan includes: 

Rasoul’s plan includes expanding automatic voter registration and ending disenfranchisement for the incarcerated and would ban corporate donations and explore small-donor public financing system

• Ensuring the ability to vote is never taken away, including for the incarcerated
• Expanding automatic voter registration to government agencies beyond the Department of Motor Vehicles
• Instituting ranked-choice voting
• Banning corporate political donations
• Instituting maximum individual contribution limits
• Exploring a small-donor public financing system for Virginia

Read the full plan on Rasoul’s website.

“In states across the South, we’ve seen Republican governors and legislatures this year enact vicious voter suppression laws. Luckily, the Democratic majority in Virginia has moved us in the opposite direction,” said Rasoul via press release. “Now is the time to go further and join other states by ensuring that the right to vote is never taken away, and putting measures in place that curb the undue influence of corporate greed on our elections.”

Here is the link to the video with co-author of the Virginia Voting Rights Act, Del. Cia Price (D-95).

This weekend, Rasoul will be hosting events to get out the vote with elected officials and community leaders across Northern Virginia as early voting begins. He will be making stops in the following areas:

HAYMARKET Haymarket Gainesville Community Library Friday, April 23, 4:00 p.m.

Rasoul will join State Senator John Bell (D-13) and Prince William County Soil & Water Conservation Board Directors Mansimram Kahlon and Tiziana Bottino

FAIRFAX Fairfax County Government Center Saturday, April 24, 12:00 p.m.

Rasoul will join State Delegate Suhas Subramanyam (D-87) and Fairfax School Board Member At-Large Rachna Sizemore Heizer

HERNDON 397 Herndon Parkway Sunday, April 25, 12:00 p.m.

Rasoul will join Loudoun County School Board Vice Chair Atoosa Reaser, Loudoun County School Board Member Harris Mahedavi, and Herndon Town Council Member Naila Alam