SUFFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — Fifty-four-year-old Samuel Harris of Suffolk, who spent 24 years behind bars, was released from prison July 1 after Gov. Glenn Youngkin issued a pardon.
Last month, he met the governor in Richmond to thank him. In an interview outside his home in Suffolk, Harris described meeting the man whose signature is on the pardon.
“He said, ‘I’m so proud of much about what you’re doing,’ and I even told him, I said, ‘and I thank you,'” Harris said. “I said, ‘for you to come in and do this, it means the world to me.'”
Youngkin was in Suffolk Wednesday for a groundbreaking ceremony. Later, he met with the media and was shown a photo of Harris, who has said he’s proud of the pardon, but disappointed his rights were not restored.
In a claim the governor denies, the Virginia NAACP says rights restoration, Youngkin-style, lacks consistency and clear standards.
“We have not slow-walked the process at all,” Youngkin said. “And in fact, we have been very proactive in this process. And I just want to be clear with restoration of rights, the Supreme Court of Virginia opined very clearly that the governor must review every single person who is getting their rights reviewed. And, that’s exactly what I do.”
Those who lost their right to vote, serve on a jury, run for public office or serve as a Notary, can now apply online for restoration in a process that could take up to 60 days.
“I don’t know the specifics of his application, but I will tell you, if he’s gotten it in, we have processed it within 60 days and I will review it personally, because that’s what I do on every single one.,” Youngkin said.
Harris completed his application Wednesday. Early voting in Virginia starts Sept. 20, and election day is Nov. 5. At 54, Harris told 10 On Your Side he has never voted. He hopes that chapter in his history will soon change.
“I feel a disservice to my ancestors for losing it,” he said. “But I’m thankful that he’s going to restore it and I’m looking forward to doing it. And especially, in this historical-making election that we’re going to have, it’s going to be probably one of the biggest things I can do when I’m home to vote.
Harris is hopeful he’ll have his voting rights restored in time for the upcoming elections.
What does he say to others who have the right to vote and don’t, or to others whose rights have not been restored?
“For others who have a right to and they have it? I think, is one of the most basic fundamental rights we have that we take for granted,” Harris said. “And as I tell people, if you don’t vote, you can’t complain. And also for my fellow reentering society citizens, take advantage of it. Yeah, I just want to get [my] rights restored because I know it’s going to make me a human again.”
