Kentucky Voters to Decide on Proposed Limit to Governor’s Pardon Power
Kentucky voters will decide in November on a constitutional amendment that proposes to limit the governor's pardon power. Prompted by controversial pardons issued at the end of a previous term, the amendment would introduce a 60-day pause on pardons before…
Bowling Green, KY, October 20, 2026 —
Kentucky voters will decide in November whether to amend the state constitution to limit the governor’s pardon power. The proposal would create a 60-day pause on pardons before inaugurations, adding a restriction to the governor’s current sole discretion in issuing pardons, according to the available summary.
The proposal follows controversial pardons issued at the end of a previous gubernatorial term. The summary does not identify the governor involved, describe the pardons or explain what made them controversial. It also does not provide the amendment’s full text or additional details about how the proposed pause would work.
The measure is described as a constitutional amendment, meaning voters will decide whether to adopt the proposed change. The exact date of the November vote and the year were not provided. The summary also does not name the amendment’s sponsors or provide details about its path to the ballot.
The central question for voters is whether to place a 60-day limit on the timing of pardons before inaugurations. The proposal is framed as a check on the governor’s pardon authority, but the available information does not specify whether it would change any other part of that authority.
Further details—including the ballot language, the specific pardons that prompted the proposal and the amendment’s precise legal effect—were not provided. The proposal’s outcome will be determined by Kentucky voters in November.
Story summarized from the original created by Jack Dobbs on bgdailynews.com, see more information here.
Media gallery
