Tennessee court rules man who received clemency in Virginia still can’t register to vote

By TRAVIS LOLLER
Associated Press

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee’s Supreme Court has ruled against a man who sought to register to vote in the state after receiving clemency for a crime committed decades ago in Virginia. According to court documents, Ernest Falls was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in Virginia in 1986. He moved to Tennessee in 2018. In 2020, then-Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam granted Falls clemency, restoring his full rights of citizenship. But when Falls tried to register to vote in Tennessee, he was prevented from doing so. That is because of a Tennessee law that requires people seeking to restore their voting rights to first prove they have paid all outstanding court costs, restitution and child support obligations.