Former Kentucky Felons Want Vote Back

Former Felons to KY Lawmakers: Let Us Vote

The Kentucky House has approved the idea in seven straight legislative sessions, but the bill calling for a constitutional amendment to bring the idea to a public vote has died in the Senate every year. Greg Stotelmyre spoke with former felon Tonya Fogle. She says once you've served your time, having a say in democracy should be automatic.

"Because I have become a citizen," she said. "I had employment, I paid my taxes, I was raising my children and my grandchildren. I am a citizen."

Kentucky is one of three states where an individual pardon from the governor is the only way ex-felons can have their voting rights restored. That's what Fogle did. She now runs a re-entry program for other ex-felons.

Without a vote, said Michael Hiser, who spent four years in prison, he still isn't a citizen.

"And what you've done is, you've put me on the other side," he said. "And so, since you put me on the other side, now we're against each other."

Hiser has not gone through the cumbersome application process to ask the governor for an executive pardon. After his release from prison in 2007, he got a college degree and become a licensed minister. He's now a volunteer prison chaplain.

Restoration of voting rights allows former convicts to participate in the American dream, Hiser said, helping them become productive citizens.

"For every person that I counsel and talk to," he said, "being a part of a system touches them, in their heart."

The voting rights restoration bill, BR 211, already is prefiled for the 2014 legislative session. It would not grant automatic restoration of those rights for felons convicted of certain crimes, including treason, murder, sexual offenses or bribery in an election.

Contact your state representative to voice your opinion.