There are at least 109,000 Kentuckians — one report puts the number at 186,000 — who are not eligible to vote because they have a felony conviction on their record. Section 145 of the Kentucky Constitution states that a person convicted of a felony is not entitled to vote, though felons may have their civil rights restored if they receive an executive pardon from the governor.

See videos by former felons telling their stories

Working with a broad coalition of groups, KFTC members in recent years have helped create public awareness of this issue and now are urging legislators to put the question on the ballot. KFTC believes that restoring the right to vote to all former felons upon completion of their sentence will strengthen our democracy. 

In the 2007 General Assembly, KFTC and coalition partners pushed House Bill 70, which passed the House but died in the Senate. Here is a summary...

 

House Bill 70

KFTC's position: FOR

 

 

Summary			Rep. Jesse Crenshaw has proposed a constitutional amendment that would restore voting rights to felons upon "expiration of probation or final discharge from parole or maximum expiration of sentence." If this bill passes, Kentucky voters will be asked in the November 2008 election whether to approve the constitutional amendment. Senate Bill 15 is similar legislation filed by Sen. Gerald Neal in the Senate.
History			HB 70 passed the House 70-28 on Feb. 28 (see vote tally below). Prior to approval the House Elections & Constitutional Amendments Committee, on February 13, amended the bill to remove automatic restoration for those convicted of wanton murder or a sexually-related crime. Now in the Senate, HB 70 was been assigned to the Appropriations & Revenue Committee where it died. SB 15 was assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee, where chair Sen. Robert Stivers has shown no interest in a hearing.
Action			Contact any or all members of the Kentucky Senate and urge their support for House Bill 70, especially the following members of the Appropriations & Revenue Committee: Charlie Borders [chair], Ernie Harris, David Boswell, Tom Buford, Carroll Gibson, Denise Harper Angel, Dan Kelly, Alice Forgy Kerr, Bob Leeper, Vernie McGaha, R.J. Palmer, Tim Shaughnessy, Robert Stivers, Gary Tapp, Elizabeth Tori, Johnny Ray Turner, Jack Westwood To leave a message for these or any legislator you may call the Toll-Free Legislative Message Line at 800-372-7181. You may leave messages for multiple legislators with just one call. The Message Line is open 7 a.m. - 11 p.m., Monday thru Thursday, 7 a.m. - 6 p.m. on Friday. To fax a legislator use 502-564-6543.

 

Download a copy of HB 70 or SB 15.

HB 70 sponsors: Reps. Jesse Crenshaw, Sheldon Baugh, Carolyn Belcher, Tom Burch, Ted Edmonds, Jim Glenn, Derrick Graham, J.R. Gray, Charlie Hoffman, Joni Jenkins, Mary Lou Marzian, Reginald Meeks, Darryl Owens, Arnold Simpson, Jim Wayne, Robin Webb, Susan Westrom, Brent Yonts

 

Download a factsheet about this issue.

How House members voted

 

YEA (70)

 

Royce Adams, Rocky Adkins, John Arnold, Eddie Ballard, Sheldon Baugh, Carolyn Belcher, Larry Belcher, Johnny Bell, Tom Burch, Dwight Butler, Mike Cherry, Larry Clark, Hubert Collins, Leslie Combs, Tim Couch, Jesse Crenshaw, Bob Damron, Milward Dedman, Mike Denham, Ted Edmonds, Bill Farmer, Tim Firkins, Jim Glenn, Jim Gooch, Derrick Graham, J.R. Gray, Jeff Greer, Keith Hall, Richard Henderson, Melvin Henley, Jimmy Higdon, Charlie Hoffman, Dennis Horlander, Joni Jenkins, Dennis Keene, Jimmie Lee, Mary Lou Marzian, Tom McKee, Reginald Meeks, Charlie Miller, Harry Moberly, Lonnie Napier, Fred Nesler, David Osborne, Darryl Owens, Ruth Ann Palumbo, Don Pasley, Tanya Pullin, Rick Rand, Frank Rasche, Jody Richards, Steven Riggs, Tom Riner, Carl Rollins, Steven Rudy, Charles Siler, Arnold Simpson, Dottie Sims, Ancel Smith, Brandon Spencer, Kathy Stein, Tommy Thompson, John Tilley, David Watkins, Jim Wayne, Robin Webb, Ron Weston, Susan Westrom, Rob Wilkey, Brent Yonts

 

NAY

 

Kevin Bratcher, Scott Brinkman, James Comer, Ron Crimm, Jim DeCesare, Bob DeWeese, Myron Dossett, C.B. Embry, Joe Fischer, David Floyd, Danny Ford, Mike Harmon, Jeff Hoover, Thomas Kerr, Adam Koenig, Stan Lee, Russ Mobley, Brad Montell, Tim Moore, Rick Nelson, Marie Rader, Sal Santoro, Brandon Smith, Jim Stewart, Tommy Turner, Ken Upchurch, John Vincent, Addie Wuchner

 

NOT VOTING

 

Jon Draud, John Will Stacy