Linn County mails voter registration applications to felons

Linn County mails voter registration applications to felons
Hunter
4/11/19

The Linn County Auditor’s office has mailed out letters to about 3000 people with felony convictions containing applications to get voting rights restored.

The Cedar Rapids Gazette says the mailings are a response to Governor Reynolds’ initiative to streamline the process. Iowa and Kentucky are the only two states who don’t restore voting rights to felons after they’ve served their sentences and paid penalties.

The application has been reduced from three pages to one and the $15 processing fee has been eliminated. Once the application is approved by the governor, the person would get a restoration certificate in the mail and then can register to vote.

A proposal to automatically restore voting rights to felons after fulfilling their obligations did not advance during this year’s legislative session.