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Gov. Beshear to issue executive order on voting rights

andy beshear inauguration speech.jpeg
Posted at 4:40 PM, Dec 10, 2019
and last updated 2019-12-10 18:20:24-05

FRANKFORT. KY (LEX 18) — During his inauguration speech, Kentucky's new governor, Andy Beshear, was met with applause after announcing his plan to restore voting rights to people with felony convictions.

"My faith also teaches forgiveness. That's why on Thursday, I will sign an executive order restoring voting rights to over a hundred thousand men and women who have done wrong in the past but are doing right now," Beshear said to the cheering crowd. "They deserve to participate in our great democracy."

This executive order will give more than 100,000 Kentuckians the right to vote once again.

The governor also announced that he has already reorganized the Kentucky Board of Education, which is already taking the steps to file a lawsuit against him.

Before Beshear's inaugural speech, his children, Will and Lila led a prayer and introduced their mother, the new First Lady of Kentucky, Britainy Beshear. She spoke to the crowd about respect and helping the children on the Commonwealth succeed. The day before the inauguration, she announced the winners of a Team Kentucky inauguration poster contest for Kentucky students.