| Gov. Evers Announces October 5 Deadline for Pardon Applications to be Eligible for Consideration Under Evers Administration |
| Gov. Tony Evers today announced that Mon., Oct. 5, 2026, will be the final day to submit an application for a pardon in order to be eligible for consideration before the end of Gov. Evers’ second and final term as governor, which concludes January 2027. Any person wishing to be considered for a pardon before the end of the year should mail their application by 11:59 p.m., Mon., Oct. 5, 2026. The pardon application, instructions, and answers to frequently asked questions about the pardon process can be found on the governor’s website at www.evers.wi.gov/pardons. “Reinstating the pardons process and offering over 2,000 second chances to folks across our state has been one of the most important undertakings of my administration, and I am incredibly grateful to every person and member of the Pardon Advisory Board who has dedicated their time, effort, and expertise to fulfilling this worthy mission,” said Gov. Evers. “I encourage folks who are interested to apply by the deadline and sincerely hope to see this good work continue in earnest in the years ahead.” The Wisconsin Constitution grants the governor the power to pardon individuals convicted of a crime. A pardon is an official act of forgiveness that restores rights lost when someone is convicted of a felony, including the right to serve on a jury, hold public office, and hold certain professional licenses. A pardon does not expunge court records. Under Executive Order #30, individuals convicted of a Wisconsin felony may apply for a pardon if they completed their sentence at least five years ago and have no pending criminal charges. Individuals currently required to register on the sex offender registry are ineligible for a pardon. Executive Order #130 established an expedited review process for applications that meet stricter criteria, including a greater length of time elapsed since sentence completion and the nonviolent nature of the offenses. A pardon is not a commutation. For information regarding the commutation process and eligibility in the state of Wisconsin, visit the commutation information page on Gov. Evers’ website. The governor’s Pardon Advisory Board continues to review pardon applications, and the office will process as many applications as possible by the end of the term. Gov. Evers looks forward to growing an already record number of pardons issued, having granted another 210 pardons earlier this summer, bringing his total number of pardons granted during his time in office to 2,237 and counting. The pardon application, instructions, and answers to frequently asked questions about the pardon process can be found on the governor’s website at www.evers.wi.gov/pardons. Applicants who are unable to meet the October 5 deadline are encouraged to wait until the next gubernatorial administration to apply, as the application document and process may be changed by a future administration. Editor’s note: Since mail does not leave Whitewater on the date it is deposited, an application would have to be mailed by Saturday, October 3 to be considered timely. Actually, mailing by October 2 would be safer. |
Gov. Evers Announces Deadline for Pardon Applications for His Term
Posted on: September 24, 2026
Posted in News
