Ballot question
Constitutional Amendment 1: Limit Pardons and Commutations Around Governor's Elections
- On the ballot in
- Kentucky
- Vote
- Yes or no
- Election
- Nov 3, 2026
The question, as printed on the ballot
Are you in favor of limiting a Governor's ability to grant pardons or commute sentences by prohibiting him or her from granting pardons or commuting sentences during the time period beginning 60 days prior to the general election at which the Governor is elected, and ending when the Governor is sworn in for that term by amending the Constitution of Kentucky as stated below? It is proposed that Section 77 of the Constitution of Kentucky be amended to read as follows: (1) The Governor shall have power to: (a) Remit fines and forfeitures; and (b) Commute sentences and grant reprieves and pardons, except: 1. In case of impeachment; or 2. For the period beginning sixty days prior to the date of the gubernatorial election and ending the fifth Tuesday succeeding the election. (2) The Governor shall file with each application therefor a statement of the reasons for his or her decision thereon, which application and statement shall always be open to public inspection. (3) In cases of treason, the Governor shall have power to grant reprieves until the end of the next session of the General Assembly, in which the power of pardoning shall be vested; but he or she shall have no power to remit the fees of the Clerk, Sheriff, or Commonwealth's Attorney in penal or criminal cases.
A “Yes” vote means
A yes vote amends Section 77 so a governor can't grant pardons or reprieves or commute sentences from 60 days before each election for governor until the new term begins, the fifth Tuesday after it.
A “No” vote means
A no vote leaves Section 77 unchanged, with no period around an election for governor when the governor is barred from granting pardons or reprieves or commuting sentences.
Proposed by the General Assembly in Senate Bill 10 of the 2026 Regular Session (2026 Ky. Acts ch. 12; final votes House 82-12, Senate 36-1). The ballot prints the question followed by the full amended text of Section 77, as certified by the Secretary of State. Kentucky publishes no official explanation of amendments: the Secretary of State's page says the office "cannot interpret, nor give guidance, on the proposed amendment." Under Section 73 of the Constitution, a new governor takes office on the fifth Tuesday after the election.
Sources
- Candidate Filings with the Office of the Secretary of State, 2026 General Election · Kentucky Secretary of State
- Election Ballots: county sample ballots, 2026 General Election · Kentucky Secretary of State
- 2026 Constitutional Amendments (ballot question and text of the proposed amendment) · Kentucky Secretary of State
- 2026 Ky. Acts ch. 12 (Senate Bill 10): An Act proposing to amend Section 77 of the Constitution of Kentucky relating to limiting the Governor's ability to grant pardons and commute sentences · Kentucky General Assembly (Legislative Research Commission)
- 26RS SB 10: bill record (sponsors, actions, votes and summary of the enacted version) · Kentucky General Assembly (Legislative Research Commission)
- Constitution of Kentucky, Section 77: Power of Governor to remit fines and forfeitures, grant reprieves and pardons (current text) · Kentucky General Assembly (Legislative Research Commission)
- Constitution of Kentucky, Section 73: When terms of Governor and Lieutenant Governor begin · Kentucky General Assembly (Legislative Research Commission)
- KRS 118.415 Constitutional amendments · Kentucky General Assembly (Legislative Research Commission)
The question and plain English statement are copied word for word from official election materials. The Gist does not take a side on ballot questions.