DES MOINES, Iowa (KMTV) — On Thursday, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds signed off on a bill which will push forward legislation for House Joint Resolution 14, a constitutional amendment that would restore felon voting rights after completion of their sentences.
“By balancing the rights of victims and the importance of redemption, we can move forward with historic change for voting rights in Iowa,” said Gov. Reynolds. “This legislation allows us to implement our proposed constitutional amendment restoring the voting rights of Iowans who have completed serving their sentence. The right to vote is the cornerstone of being a part of any society, and I am proud of the broad coalition supporting this amendment.”
According to Ballopedia, Iowa is the only state that requires felons to appeal to the state government for restoration of voting rights. By implementing the change, Iowa would join 19 other states with similar requirements.
