Thousands of Kentuckians Left Out of Voting Process Due to Failure of SB 80
First rights restoration bill to pass the Senate fails in the House blocking thousands of Kentuckians from the ballot.
Related to: Voting Rights, State Advocacy
[Washington, D.C.] – Nicole D. Porter, senior director of advocacy at The Sentencing Project, released the following statement:
“We are deeply disappointed by the failure of Senate Bill 80 (SB 80), which would propose a constitutional amendment to automatically restore voting rights to many individuals with past felony convictions upon completion of their sentence. By not advancing this legislation, the House has missed a critical opportunity to restore the voices of more than 158,3000 Kentuckians who remain excluded from the democratic process due to felony convictions, despite the 2019 executive order aimed at restoring voting rights.
“This ongoing disenfranchisement falls hardest on communities of color: 11.7% of Black and 4.4% of Latino Kentuckians are barred from voting—amongst the highest rates in the nation. The Kentucky State House has missed a critical opportunity to address these inequities continuing to silence marginalized communities and weaken the promise of a representative democracy.
“SB 80 marked a historic step forward – and the fight is not over. Lawmakers must build on this momentum and work toward lasting reforms that expand access to the ballot to ensure true democracy in the Bluegrass State.”
