Ex-Cons Rally for their Voting Rights

Supporters of legislation to restore voting rights to felons say the offenders have paid their debt to society and should have full suffrage granted automatically. House Bill 70 is a constitutional amendment that would allow for that restoration, which is currently banned. The House has already advanced the measure, but like in years past, the bill seems dead on arrival in the state Senate.

 That didn’t stop members of Kentuckians for the Commonwealth and other groups to rally loudly for an hour in the Capitol Rotunda in support of their bill Thursday. The rally included speeches from former felons who want their voting rights back, as well as lawmakers, including House Republicans, who support the measure.