Iowa Governor Assists Felon, but He Says He Shouldn’t Need Her Help to Vote

Reynolds could issue an executive order requiring the state to recognize felon voter rights. But she has said she prefers that the process be handled through the amendment process, which requires approval by the full Legislature in two separate sessions before it can be placed on the ballot for a statewide vote. Among voter rights groups taking notice of the problems in Iowa is the Campaign Legal Center — a nonpartisan group based in Washington, D.C. It recently announced an initiative through the group’s “Restore Your Vote Campaign” that it said would help hundreds of people on Iowa’s list apply for voter restoration. Blair Bowie, a lawyer for the Campaign Legal Center, said Iowa's restoration irregularities and legal ambiguities, like those associated with Black’s case, result in widespread voter suppression. People with even minor legal infractions sometimes falsely believe they can’t vote, she said.

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