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Washington, DC – November 24, 2015

Rock the Vote President Ashley Spillane released the following statement following the decision of Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear to sign an executive order on Tuesday that will, according to the Brennan Center, allow over 170,00 Kentuckians with non-violent convictions and who have fully completed their sentences (including probation and parole) the ability to restore their voting rights through a simple rights restoration process.

“We applaud Kentucky Gov. Beshear’s decision to make one of his last acts in office restoring the right to vote to 170,000 Kentucky citizens with past criminal convictions. Democracy works best when all eligible citizens participate and make their voices heard – including American citizens who live, work and raise families in our communities after serving their time. We hope Iowa and Florida follow Kentucky’s lead, as they are the only two states remaining where those with prior criminal convictions lose their voting rights permanently.”

Nearly 6 million American citizens are unable vote because of a past criminal conviction. As many as 4.4 million of these citizens live, work, and raise families in our communities. But because of a conviction in their past they are still denied this fundamental democratic right. These laws, deeply rooted in our troubled racial history, have a disproportionate impact on minorities. Across the country, 13 percent of African-American men have lost their right to vote, which is seven times the national average.

ABOUT ROCK THE VOTE

Rock the Vote is the largest non-partisan, non-profit organization in the country driving the youth vote to the polls. Since 1990, Rock the Vote has fused pop culture, music, art and technology to fulfill its mission of building long-term youth political power. During the past six Presidential elections, Rock the Vote ran the largest voter registration drives for young people and has partnered with more than 25,000 partners through its online, multi-lingual voter registration tool. Rock the Vote is dedicated to mobilizing the vote, protecting voting rights and advocating for an electoral process and voting system that works for the Millennial generation, America’s largest and most diverse population in its history.

Contacts:
Kiki Burger | media@rockthevote.com | 202-719-9910

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Yesterday was 2014’s biggest election day to date. And for those of you who haven’t been poring obsessively over the election results, here’s a quick rundown of everything you need to know. Now GO FORTH and impress your friends with knowledge. 

Kentucky: The Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell easily defeated primary challenger Matt Bevin in Kentucky. His Democratic opponent, Secretary of State Alison Grimes won her nomination with even more votes than McConnell, which forecasts a battle ahead. The McConnell-Grimes duel will be a close one, with both sides playing dirty. McConnell is fighting “Obummer”, and is playing Grimes as his biggest puppet; Grimes has been airing attack ads since the beginning attacking McConnell’s credibility.

Pennsylvania: Businessman Tom Wolf easily won the Democratic primary for Pennsylvania governor on Thursday, setting up a general-election contest against Republican Governor Tom Corbett. The race between Wolf and Corbett, who’s seen as one of the nation’s most vulnerable governors, will be one of the tightest races of the 2014 cycle.

And in other Pennsylvania news…

Not a lot of people can say they like their in-laws, but Bill and Hillary Clinton held fundraisers and ran TV ads for Marjorie Margolies, whose son is married to their daughter Chelsea Clinton. Despite all this, State Rep. Brendan Boyle won the Democratic primary in Pennsylvania’s 13th District on Tuesday, defeating former Rep. Marjorie Margolies, the Clinton in-law.

Georgia: Jason Carter, grandson to peanut farmer, nobel peace prize winner and former President Jimmy Carter, won the Democratic primary yesterday. He will carry on his grandfather’s nutty, peaceful legacy, by taking on Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal in the general election this fall.

Oregon: Oregon’s attempt to adapt Obamacare, led by Democratic Governor John Kitzhaber was considered a total failure, and put Kitzhaber in the hot seat. He narrowly defeated a Republican in 2010, and will attempt to do so again with State Representative Dennis Richardson, who won the Oregon Republican gubernatorial primary on Tuesday.

In other scandals, pediatric neurosurgeon Monica Wehby who was accused of stalking her ex boyfriend defeated state Rep. Jason Conger in the Oregon Republican Senate primary on Tuesday. Her ex-boyfriend is ironically one of her biggest contributors, and has run numerous ads against the incumbent, first-term Democratic Sen. Jeff Merkley. Sounds like a complicated relationship if you ask us…

Arkansas: Little Rock banking executive French Hill will face a fierce battle with North Little Rock Mayor Patrick Hays, after they both won the primaries in Arkansas. Arkansas state House Majority Leader Bruce Westerman easily won the Republican primary, and will face Democrat James Lee Witt, the former FEMA director. The Clinton power couple is being used to win Democratic seats in many elections this season, and Witt’s campaign is no different, with web-based ads featuring Bill and Hillary.

Idaho: Idaho Republican Representative Mike Simpson easily defeated his primary challenger Bryan Smith after an expensive and symbolic race that tells us a lot about the state of the Republican party. Simpson and his allies together spent about $4 million and succeeded in defending the tea party incumbents.