NORFOLK, Va. - More than 150,000 new voters have registered to vote so far this year in Virginia, according to data on the Department of Elections website.
That brings the state total to about 5.5 million people who are now registered, with the deadline to vote this fall on October 15.
Tuesday marked National Voter Registration Day. All across the country volunteers and organizers are encouraging people to register to vote, including in Norfolk.
Jamel Ridgenal stood outside of the Kroger at Wards Corner to try and get people to register on Tuesday as part of the New Virginia Majority. He says after about an hour he had gotten seven people to sign up to vote. "I talk to a lot of people every day. I might talk to over 100 people, but I might get 10 to 15 registrations," said Ridgenal.
Ridgenal says he lost his right to vote from a felony drug conviction. "It meant a lot because you couldn't go vote," he said. "You lose your rights and stuff like that."
He says he's hoping to regain the right in time for the election this fall and encourages others to make the effort. "Go and register to vote," he said. "Go vote. Exercise your rights."
