Spanberger Administration Faces Scrutiny Over Voting Rights Citation for 'Betty No Last Name'

Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s initiative to restore voting rights to more than 66,000 convicted felons generated new questions on Thursday when a document identified a recipient as 'Betty No Last Name.' The citation, which purports to restore the right to vote, serve on juries, and seek public office, surfaced just days before a state ballot measure set to make such restorations automatic upon release from prison.

The controversy was first publicized by Virginia Beach attorney Tim Anderson. Anderson stated he obtained the citation through a public records request directed at the Chesapeake Sheriff's Office. The document bears the signatures of Spanberger and Secretary of the Commonwealth Candi Mundon-King. Anderson noted that the citation explicitly lists the recipient's name as 'Betty No Last Name' in multiple places, including the recital of political disabilities suffered by reason of conviction.

Anderson told reporters that no governor or secretary of the commonwealth would typically sign a restoration order with such a placeholder name. He suggested the citations were generated using a mail merge of existing records and signed via autopen, despite language in the documents indicating each case received individual review. He added that he found this specific citation after contacting only a small number of Virginia law enforcement agencies, suggesting similar errors may exist elsewhere in the state.

Former Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares joined the criticism, questioning the administration’s methodology. Miyares stated that four mentions of the placeholder name indicated that the claimed individualized review might be imaginary. He raised these concerns in a statement issued Thursday. A spokesperson for the Chesapeake Sheriff's Office confirmed the veracity of the citation and provided a copy to the media.

The incident has sharpened the focus on Question 3, which appears on the Nov. 3 ballot. This measure would establish automatic restoration of voting rights upon a felon's release from prison. Critics argue that the 'Betty No Last Name' citation undermines confidence in the current manual process that the new law aims to replace. State Sen. Glen Sturtevant, a Republican from Chesterfield, cited the incident alongside reports of citations sent to deceased individuals to call for an independent audit of the process.

Sturtevant urged voters to reject Question 3, noting the lack of an audit despite the emerging evidence of errors. Del. Wren Williams, a Republican from Stuart, also commented on the situation, joking that Betty No Last Name could now vote in Virginia. Spanberger, Mundon-King, and the Chesapeake Sheriff's Office were contacted for further comment regarding the specific citation and the broader restoration effort.