Kentucky Voters Will Decide on Pardon Restrictions

A proposed constitutional amendment will limit gubernatorial pardon powers during the final days of an administration.

Updated on Oct. 13, 2026 in Criminal Justice

Bold flat-color editorial illustration of a state capitol dome silhouette, evoking political reform and executive power. — Kentucky voters will decide in November 2026 whether to pass a constitutional amendment restricting a governor's power to issue pardons. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Should a governor's power to issue pardons be restricted in the weeks leading up to elections?

Kentucky voters will decide in November 2026 on a constitutional amendment to restrict gubernatorial pardons. The measure aims to prevent outgoing governors from granting clemency during the final weeks of their terms.

Why it matters

The amendment seeks to ensure voter accountability for executive clemency decisions. It follows controversy surrounding hundreds of pardons issued by a former governor in his final days in office.

Amendment 1 proposes modifying Section 77 of the Kentucky Constitution to prohibit pardons and sentence commutations from 60 days before a gubernatorial election through the fifth Tuesday after the election. It also mandates that governors file public statements of reasons for any pardons granted.

The players

Matt Bevin

He is the former Governor of Kentucky who served from 2015 to 2019 and issued hundreds of controversial pardons at the end of his term.

The details

The proposal responds to action taken in 2019 when then-Governor Matt Bevin issued more than 600 pardons and commutations in his final days in office, including those for convicted murderers and child rapists. The amendment would require all future pardon decisions to be documented with a statement of reasons open for public inspection.

Former Governor Matt Bevin lost his reelection bid in 2019.
Voters will decide on Amendment 1 in November 2026.

Legal Context

This ballot initiative represents an effort to codify stricter limits on executive clemency within the state legal framework. It follows a trend of states reconsidering gubernatorial powers in response to perceived abuses of discretionary authority.

This amendment directly impacts the public by creating transparency requirements for future executive pardons. It ensures that residents can review the specific reasoning behind clemency decisions made by state leadership.

The takeaway

The measure emphasizes the role of public oversight in the state's executive branch. Voters will determine if limiting the timing and documentation of pardons is necessary to maintain government accountability.