(Washington, DC) – Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds (R-Iowa) signed an executive order today that reinstates the voting rights of Iowans with prior convictions. The following is a statement from Kristen Clarke, president and executive director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law:
“This is a victory for tens of thousands of people across Iowa who had been permanently disenfranchised as a result of a felony conviction. The state’s permanent ban was not only the harshest in the nation but the racial impact of the law was undeniable. This executive order strikes down a measure that hearkened back to the awful Jim Crow era and moves the state forward in ensuring that more people have voice in democracy.”
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About the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law – The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law (Lawyers’ Committee), a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, was formed in 1963 at the request of President John F. Kennedy to involve the private bar in providing legal services to address racial discrimination. The principal mission of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law is to secure, through the rule of law, equal justice for all, particularly in the areas of voting rights, criminal justice, fair housing and community development, economic justice, educational opportunities, and hate crimes. For more information, please visit https://lawyerscommittee.org.
