DES MOINES, Iowa - Iowa Senate Democrats are calling for Republican Governor Kim Reynolds to sign an executive order to restore felon voting rights, and do so by the Fourth of July.
The 18 Democrats wrote an open letter asking Reynolds to update an executive order issued by Governor Tom Vilsack in 2005. That order was later reversed by Governor Terry Branstad, which has since required felons to petition the governor individually to receive voting rights.
Governor Reynolds favors a constitutional amendment to restore the rights, but is now promising to sign an executive order before November's election.
The Democrats' letter asks Reynolds to quickly sign an order in order to give released felons enough time to register and prepare for the fall election.
Iowa is the only state that doesn't automatically restore voting rights to felons upon their release from prison.
The Republican controlled state senate has failed to pass a constitutional amendment for two years in a row, with support dropping this year after Reynolds announced she would pursue an executive order.
A contentious issue involving any executive order or constitutional amendment is whether felons would be required to pay restitution to victims before receiving their voting rights.