Iowa's Controversial Voting Practice Coming to an End

Iowa is currently the only remaining state in which former felons are permanently banned from voting. But Gov. Kim Reynolds will put an end to that when she issues an executive order granting paroled felons the right to vote, the New York Times reports. The timing is not yet clear but Reynolds, a Republican, says her legal team is "working on it," the Des Moines Register reports. She promised it would take effect prior to the November election. Currently, felons must apply to the governor's office to have their voting rights restored, a practice that has come under fire from protesters in recent weeks. More than 60,000 residents of the state, including almost 10% of African-American adults, are currently barred from voting. Overall, 2.2% of voting-age Iowans are barred from voting due to felony convictions. (More Iowa stories.)