Restoration of Voting Rights

Rights are restored automatically to people with some past felony convictions who: 

• have completed their full sentence, probation, and parole
• OR who are still on probation or parole only because of unpaid fines or restitution.

Rights were not restored to people who were:

• convicted of bribery; treason; sex offenses; and some "violent" offenses, as defined by Kentucky law.
• convicted in a different state.
• convicted of federal crimes.

See if your rights were restored 

You must still register to vote if your rights were restored.

FAQ:

What if my rights were not restored?

If your rights were not restored, you can petition the Governor for restoration of civil rights. The application is free and can be found here. The application takes up to 12 weeks to process.

What if I think my rights should have been restored, but my name is not in the database?

All people who qualify should have their rights restored automatically. If you believe your rights should have been restored, call the Kentucky Department of Corrections 502-782-2266 or email them at CivilRights.Restoration@KY.gov.

If your rights were restored, you must still register to vote.

How to register to vote:

• Registering is free and you only need to do it once.
• If your information changes (i.e. name, address), you need to update your registration.
• You can register or update your information online or with a paper form.
  • Register online here.
  • Call your local county clerk to register with a paper form. Find their contact information here.

Registration Deadlines:

You must register to vote at least 30 days before an election to vote in that election.

• Last day to register or update your information (name, address, etc.): Monday, October 5, 2020
• Election day: Tuesday, November 3, 2020

Register to vote online

Please note, some paper voter registration forms may have been printed before your rights were restored. These forms require you to confirm a statement reading: "I am not a convicted felon, or if I have been convicted of a felony, my civil rights must have been restored by executive pardon." You may register to vote using a form with this language. The updated language says: "I am not a convicted felon, or if I have been convicted of a felony, my right to vote has been restored following an expungement, Executive Pardon, or Executive Order."

This executive order was a step in the right direction, but it leaves behind more than 65,000 other Kentuckians.

Before this order, Kentucky blocked roughly 242,000 people from voting because they had past felony convictions. Kentucky was one of only two states that permanently barred people with past felony convictions from voting. This disenfranchised approximately 9% of otherwise eligible voters and nearly 25% of African-Americans.

The executive order that restored voting rights must be written into law because executive orders can be easily reversed by future governors. No Kentuckian should be denied this most fundamental right.

Next steps:

We will continue working the Kentucky General Assembly to permanently remove this draconian measure from the Kentucky Constitution. Any change to the state constitution must be approved by the General Assembly and then by Kentucky voters. Constitional amendments are adopted through the following process:

1. Lawmakers propose the amendment, or change to the Kentucky Constitution.
2. 60% of lawmakers from both the Kentucky House of Representatives and the Kentucky Senate must support the measure.
3. If the amendment passes the House and Senate, it can appear on ballots for Kentucky voters to decide. Amendments can only appear on the ballot in even numbered years.
4. The voters decide. If a simple majority of voters, or 51%, approve, the amendment will be adopted.