Republican Gov. Matt Bevin has ordered the voting rights restored for 284 Kentuckians pending a background check by the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet.
The orders apply to people who have been convicted of nonviolent felonies and have completed their sentences. If approved, people on the list will be allowed to vote and hold public office. They still won't be allowed to own a gun or serve on a jury.
Former Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear issued an executive order that would have restored voting rights to some felons automatically if they met certain requirements. Bevin repealed that order. Since then, he has ordered rights restored for 308 people on a case-by-case basis. He also signed a law allowing some felons the chance to expunge their records.
