肯塔基选民 11 月 3 日表决宪法第一修正案：限制州长选举前后行使赦免权
肯塔基州选民将于 11 月 3 日在中期选举中表决宪法第一修正案，决定是否修改州宪法，限制州长在选举前后行使赦免权。修正案规定，州长在州长大选前 60 天至选举后第五个星期二（即新一任期宣誓就职）期间，不得赦免罪犯或为其减刑；州长任期其余时间的赦免权不受影响。这一提案源于 2019 年 12 月前州长 Matt Bevin 在离任前签发数百项赦免和减刑令，其中包括为一名被判杀人等罪名成立的男子全额赦免，引发广泛争议。修正案提案人、州参议员 Chris McDaniel 表示，Bevin 的赦免做法是滥用权力，修正案是一个为赦免权重新加回制衡的常识性措施，旨在防止此类滥用重演。现任州长 Andy Beshear 对修宪持保留态度，其发言人表示，解决之道不应是限制州长的赦免权，而应是确保选出好的州长。曾领导肯塔基州公共辩护部门近十年的 Damon Preston 也提出反对，担忧在死刑犯放弃上诉等情形下，州长在禁限期内将无法干预行刑或施予宽免。若修正案通过，该限制将适用于此后州长选举前后的权力交接期。
Kentucky Voters to Decide Constitutional Amendment 1 on November 3: Limiting the Governor's Clemency Powers Around Elections
Kentucky voters will decide on November 3 whether to amend the state constitution to limit the governor's clemency powers around elections. Constitutional Amendment 1 would bar the governor from granting pardons or commuting sentences during the period beginning 60 days before the gubernatorial general election and ending on the fifth Tuesday after the election, when the governor is sworn in for the new term; the governor's clemency powers would remain unchanged for the rest of the term. The proposal stems from December 2019, when former Governor Matt Bevin, just before leaving office, issued hundreds of pardons and commutations, including a full and unconditional pardon for a man convicted of homicide and other crimes, sparking widespread controversy. The amendment's sponsor, state Senator Chris McDaniel, said Bevin's clemency actions were an abuse of power and called the amendment a common-sense measure to rein in the pardon power and restore a check and balance. Governor Andy Beshear is among the skeptics; his spokesperson said the solution should not be to limit a governor's pardon powers but to ensure voters elect good governors. Damon Preston, who led the Kentucky Department of Public Advocacy for nearly a decade, also opposes the amendment, raising concerns that in cases where a death row inmate waives appeals, a governor would be unable to intervene during the restricted period. If approved, the limit would apply to the transition periods around future gubernatorial elections.
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图片来源：图：Wikimedia Commons（TEDD LiGGETT 摄影，CC BY-SA 4.0）；图中为位于 Frankfort 的肯塔基州议会大厦。
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