But civil liberties advocates portrayed the change as a small improvement to a policy that will continue to keep ex-offenders out of Iowa voting booths unless it's completely overhauled.
Gov. Terry Branstad announced the new streamlined application form along with a review of the applications required for other executive clemency actions, including firearm rights restoration, pardons and commutations of life-in-prison sentences. The review is meant to "streamline the process and find government inefficiencies," according to a news release.