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Our call — vote YES

The measure

Amendment 1 is a legislatively referred constitutional amendment on Kentucky's November 3, 2026 ballot. It would prohibit the governor from granting pardons or commutations during the window from 60 days before a gubernatorial election until the fifth Tuesday after that election. The amendment also makes related constitutional language gender-neutral. The history behind it is concrete: Governor Matt Bevin issued 661 pardons and commutations in his final 95 days in office, a lame-duck spree that drew national scrutiny.

What YES does

A yes vote bars election-season and lame-duck pardons, so a governor cannot empty the pardon file on the way out the door.

What NO does

A no vote leaves the pardon power available at any time, including a defeated or departing governor's final days.

The math

No fiscal note for this measure was published on its Ballotpedia page.

OUR CALL

Our call: YES.

The pardon power exists to correct injustice, not to settle scores or reward allies when voters can no longer respond. A governor who believes a pardon is just can issue it before the blackout window or leave it to a successor accountable to the electorate. Restraining executive power at the exact moment it is least accountable is a straightforward yes.

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Vote early. Research your candidates. Choose the best moderates, whatever their party — no extremism from either side. And encourage your friends and family to do the same.

Sources

Election result — November 4, 2026

Result pending. No verified call (Associated Press or official) as of November 4, 2026. This page will be updated when the race is called or certified. The original article above is unchanged.

AI-assisted article — but the sources are human, and the facts are very real.

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