Kentucky Constitutional Amendment 1

The question 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?

Exact wording from the official ballot. Read the full ballot text, including the amended Section 77 →

What it changes

• Section 77 of the Kentucky Constitution lets the governor remit fines and forfeitures, commute sentences, and grant reprieves and pardons, except in cases of impeachment. [1]
• The amendment adds a second exception: the governor may not commute sentences or grant reprieves or pardons from sixty days before the governor's election until the fifth Tuesday after it. [2]
• The power to remit fines and forfeitures is not part of the new exception. [2]
• The governor must still file a statement of reasons with each application, open to public inspection, and the rules for treason cases stay the same. [2]
• The General Assembly passed the proposal as Senate Bill 10 in its 2026 session and delivered it to the Secretary of State on April 1, 2026 (Acts Chapter 12). [3]