Aug. 17, 2026 Editor, The News-Gazette:
Early voting for the November election begins on Sept. 18; that’s in 31 days. Do you vote? Someone once said, “If I want to drive, I need a driver’s license. If I want to be a citizen, I need to vote.” Voting doesn’t take much time, so any excuse carries no weight.
This year, we will be choosing our U.S. senator and U.S. representative. I’m for Mizusawa and Cline; these two men believe in our U.S. Constitution and the freedoms it ensures.
There will also be three Virginia Constitution Amendment proposals on the ballot, which, if passed, cannot be amended or overturned by any governor nor changed by our state legislature. Please be aware: the wording of these proposals is deliberately misleading. Be sure to be fully informed.
The first proposed amendment addresses abortion rights, which already exist in Virginia, including protecting the life of the mother through the third trimester. This amendment broadly allows teen girls to seek an abortion without parental knowledge and prevents the prosecution of anyone “obtaining or performing” medical procedures outside standard clinical bounds.
The second proposed amendment addresses samesex marriage. Virginia already complies with a Supreme Court ruling that every state must recognize same-sex marriages. This proposed state constitutional amendment, however, includes both “sex” and “gender.” Why? Has “gender” been added to impact already existing state law in legal cases involving gender identity, schools, parental rights, women’s sports, etc.? And, this amendment excludes current religious exemption for clergy or religious organizations.
The third proposed amendment provides that all Virginia felons are to be automatically granted voting rights on the day they are released from prison, no matter their crime or if they are still on parole or not.
Protect your own and all Virginians’ freedoms and rights. Vote! SUSANWOOD Glasgow
