New York State Governor Restoration of Citizenship Rights Application Ledgers

Chronological by application date.

Articles I and IV of the State Constitution authorize the governor to grant executive clemency to convicted criminals (Executive Law, Sections 15-19). Among the types of clemency offered is restoration of citizenship rights, by which the governor restores civil rights lost as a result of a conviction (e.g. right to vote, right to hold public office).

These volumes were maintained to track the status of applications to the governor for restoration of citizenship rights. Volumes 1-5 provide basic facts about each application including: application number (volumes 3-5 only); journal and page (no indication of what journals are being cited) (volumes 3-5 only); date of application; name; date convicted; prison; date received in prison (volumes 3-5 only); county; crime; term; date term expires (volumes 3-5 only); commutation earned (volumes 3-5 only); date of actual discharge (volumes 3-5 only); documents submitted with application (e.g. petition from citizens, letters from individuals, court documents relating to conviction) (volume 1 only); date application granted or denied; and to whom writ forwarded (e.g. name of judge, attorney, or other individual).

Volume 6 provides a chronological record of actions relating to individual citizenship restoration applications from February 1883 to April 1887. For each application, the volume provides: application number; name; date of application; by whom application made; date application granted or denied; and date writ delivered, and to whom.

A0597Series A0597, Executive Clemency and Pardon Case Files, contains related Governors' records.

Rough alphabetical name indexes in Volumes 2-6.

Volume list is available at the repository.

There are no restrictions regarding access to or use of this material.