LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — As one of his first official acts, Gov. Andy Beshear signed an executive order after just two days in office to expand voting rights to non-violent felons in Kentucky.
The order applies to more than 140,000 people in the Bluegrass who were convicted of crimes and lost their rights to vote.
According to the Department of Corrections website, the DOC will review individuals currently in custody or on supervision are considered for final discharge of sentence to see if their rights are eligible for automatic restoration. If eligible, DOC will give them a notice of restoration with their release documents, which informs them that they are now eligible to register to vote.
The DOC has a new website with a searchable database for Kentuckians to find out if their rights have been restored. If so, they are eligible to register to vote immediately.
Those who don't qualify for automatic restoration can still apply. Probation and parole offices are able to provide assistance with the application.
