Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 2, 2022

CONTACT: press@securedemocracyusa.org

Interim Judiciary Committee to discuss restoring the vote to disenfranchised Kentuckians on Thursday, Polling Shows Overwhelming Support

Recent polling shows that Ky. voters strongly support placing a voting rights restoration constitutional amendment on the ballot

FRANKFORT, Ky. (Nov. 2, 2022) — Representatives from Secure Democracy USA will join fellow election policy advocates to testify before the Kentucky General Assembly’s Interim Committee on Judiciary tomorrow (Thursday, Nov. 3) at 11:00 a.m. (ET) in Room 149 of the State Capitol Annex in Frankfort regarding the vital issue of voting rights restoration.

Kentucky is one of only a handful of states that permanently disenfranchises people convicted of any felony offense. According to one estimate from the League of Women Voters, nearly 200,000 Kentuckians — or roughly 6% of the voting age population — are ineligible to vote due to a past conviction.

Recent statewide polling confirms that a significant majority of voters in the Commonwealth support restoring voting eligibility for individuals who have completed their sentence. An in-depth statewide survey this fall found that:

  • 74% of Republican primary voters support restoring voting eligibility for individuals who have completed their sentence, including terms of probation and parole, and settled all fines and fees required by their sentence — including 65% who describe themselves as “very conservative” and 84% as “somewhat conservative.”

  • 70% of Republican primary voters support the state legislature putting a constitutional amendment on an upcoming ballot to determine a permanent solution.

  • 53% of Republican primary voters initially reported supporting the amendment. After hearing more information — particularly around the importance of providing a second chance to Kentuckians who have worked hard to earn one — support grew to 60%.

Panelists testifying in the hearing tomorrow will include Senator Brandon Storm (R-London); Robert Blizzard, partner at Public Opinion Strategies; Charley Olena, vice president of advocacy at Secure Democracy USA; Jason Hall, executive director of Catholic Conference of Kentucky; and Marcus Jackson, organizing coordinator at ACLU of Kentucky.

A livestream of tomorrow’s Interim Committee on Judiciary hearing will be available online via KET.org/Legislature.

To read this press release online, click here.

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Secure Democracy USA is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that works to build confidence in our elections and improve voter access across the United States. We educate policymakers and the public about what it takes to safeguard our voting systems as a 501(c)(4) social welfare organization under the Internal Revenue Code.