Beshear's move means it should be easier for convicted felons to apply for and receive a gubernatorial order restoring their voting rights. Until today, convicted felons had to write an essay to the governor, send two notices to prosecutors, get three recommendations and pay a $2 fee just to get a chance at a gubernatorial order. Beshear removed those barriers today and said the Corrections Department will begin helping inmates fill out the voting rights application before they leave prison. That policy was in place before Fletcher took office. Before 2003, mroe than 600 people had their voting rights restored each year. During Fletcher's term, around 250 orders were approved each year.

Beshear says prosecutors will still have a chance to challenge a felons request for restoration of voting rights and the felons must have paid all restitution. The governor says he believes in second chances and it makes no sense to put barriers to felons becoming a bigger part of society. Kentucky is one of only two states (Virginia is the other) that doesn't automatically restore the voting rights to convicted felons. Beshear says he supports a constitutional amendment that would accomplish that. About 129,000 Kentuckians can't vote because of a felony conviction, including one in four African-Americans. Justice Secretary Michael Brown says his agency will make an attempt to notify many of those folks that the process for getting back their right to vote is now easier.