Pardon restores the right to vote and hold office upon expiration of sentence if no charges are pending, and people with federal and out-of-state offenses are eligible for this relief. The governor may ask the Kentucky Parole Board to investigate and make recommendations on pardon cases, but he is not bound by its advice. Applicants must wait seven years after completion of sentence before applying, and there is no public hearing. Full pardon relieves all legal disabilities but does not authorize expungement, and a pardoned conviction may serve as a predicate. The governor must report to the legislature annually on pardons granted with reasons. Pardons have customarily been issued at the end of a Kentucky governor’s term, and Governor Bevin issued hundreds of pardons in December 2019 as he was leaving office. His successor Governor Andy Beshear restored the vote by executive order to many thousands convicted of non-violent crimes during his first days in office.
Restoration of Firearm Rights After Conviction: A National Survey and Recommendations for Reform (Dec. 2025)
Positive Credentials That Limit Risk: A Report on Certificates of Relief (June 2024)
Advancing Second Chances: Clean Slate and Other Record Reforms in 2023 (Jan. 2024)
Accessing SNAP and TANF Benefits after a Drug Conviction: A Survey of State Laws (Dec. 2023)
The Many Roads from Reentry to Reintegration (March 2022)
The Reintegration Report Card
