Kentucky will Allow Ex-Felons the Right to Vote

Kentucky Governor, Steve Beshear, has signed an executive order that will give some ex-felons the right to vote.

"The right to vote is one of the most intrinsically American privileges, and thousands of Kentuckians are living, working and paying taxes in the state but are denied this basic right," the Democrat, who has a few weeks left in office, said at a press conference reported by MSNBC. "Once an individual has served his or her time and paid all restitution, society expects them to reintegrate into their communities and become law-abiding and productive citizens. A key part of that transition is the right to vote."

The order will automatically give felons, if they meet a certain criteria, the right to vote immediately upon their release. For felons who have been released, they can fill out the form on the Kentucky Department of Corrections' website.

The Brennan Center for Justice estimated that about 140,000 residents will now be able to vote in Kentucky. Another 30,000 should become eligible for restoration over time.

"Today's order will offer a second chance to thousands and thousands of Kentucky citizens, some of whom have waited decades for the chance to get their right to vote back," said Myrna Pérez, director of the Voting Rights & Elections Project at the Center at NYU School of Law. "Americans from all walks of life know that our criminal justice system is broken. Governor Beshear's leadership is a move in the right direction."

Prior to this order, nonviolent felons who were released from prison had to apply for the right to vote at the governor's office, which assesses the cases one by one. Felons who were convicted of violent crimes, sexual offenses, treason and bribery, are excluded from the order, ABC News reported.

"All of our society will be better off if we actively work to help rehabilitate those who have made a mistake,"Beshear said. "And the more we do that, the more the entire society will benefit."

Kentucky was one of three states that banned ex-felons from voting. The other two states are Florida and Iowa.