Voting Rights Restoration
The League of Women Voters of KY advocates for the restoration of voting rights for justice-involved Kentuckians who have a felony conviction. Kentucky is one of only 3 states that permanently bans people from voting after a felony conviction. KY’s Constitution takes the right to vote away from anyone with a felony. The only way to have the right to vote restored is to obtain a partial pardon from the governor or through an expungement of the felony. To permanently secure the voting rights of ALL justice-involved Kentuckians after completing their entire felony sentence, the Kentucky Constitution must be amended. The League of Women Voters of KY is advocating for the public to be able to voice their opinion on changing the KY Constitution by placing this issue on the ballot.
The League is KY’s leading source of comprehensive data and polling. With the assistance of The Sentencing Project, the League issued its first statewide report in October 2006 to educate the public about the need for a change in our KY Constitution. While the governor’s 2019 Executive Order restored the right to vote to Kentuckians with a nonviolent felony, many remain without the right to vote.
Kentuckians want a permanent change in our KY Constitution. Kentuckians who support the automatic restoration of voting rights upon completion of sentence has been steadily increasing. A 2006 poll by the UK Research Center reported a majority of Kentuckians support automatic voting rights restoration, with 56% approving. A survey by Mason Dixon Polling and Strategy in 2021 reveals that approval among Kentuckians has continued to increase from 66% in their 2018 poll to 67% in the most recent poll. View the 2023 Mason-Dixon Polling & Strategy.
The League’s educational outreach work focuses on 1) helping persons who have been convicted of a felony be able to have their voting rights restored in accordance with Executive Order 2019-003, and 2) passage of a bill to allow Kentuckians to vote on changing the Kentucky Constitution to provide automatic restoration of voting rights.
To find out if your rights were restored by the 2019 Executive Order, go to: https://civilrightsrestoration.ky.gov
News Releases
February 2023: LWVKY Restoring Voting Rights Media Release
February 2023: LWVKY to Host Press Conference, League Day at Kentucky State Capitol
November 2022: LWVKY written statement to the Interim Joint Judiciary Committee
February 2022: LWVKY supports HB 218 and SB 33 that make expungements accessible to more Kentuckians
September 2021: Update on Restoration of Voting Rights & Call to Action
February 18, 2021: Felony Voting Poll Results
January 28, 2021: Felony Disenfranchisement Report Released
View Jan 28, 2021 Press Conference
February 2020: Felony Disenfranchisement Report Released
January 17, 2019: Public Supports Automatic Restoration of Voting Rights
February 21, 2017 OpEd: Support Restoring Ex-Felon Voting Rights
Reports
February 2023: Restoring Voting Rights Report
January 2022: The Sentencing Project Report
April 2021: Felony Disenfranchisement Report
January 2021: Felony Disenfranchisement Report
January 2021: Felony Disenfranchisement Report SUMMARY
February 2020: Felony Disenfranchisement Report
February 2020: Felony Disenfranchisement Report SUMMARY
January 2019: Felony Disenfranchisement Report
Dec 2018: Mason-Dixon polling details on felony disenfranchisement question
January 2013: Felony Disenfranchisement in the Commonwealth of Kentucky
Resources
Civil Rights Restoration Website
Civil Rights Restoration Application Form for those not eligible under Executive Order 2019-003
Expungement Guidebook, Clean Slate Kentucky
Lawyers Guide to Expungement in Kentucky, Clean Slate Kentucky