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

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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.