Wisconsin residents seeking a pardon for a felony conviction have until 11:59 p.m. Monday, Oct. 5, to submit an application for consideration before the end of the year. Gov. Tony Evers restored the state’s pardon process in 2019 and has granted pardons to 2,237 people, according to his office. Evers has called its revival one of the most important efforts of his administration and said he hopes the work continues. A pardon is an official act of forgiveness that can restore certain rights lost after a felony conviction, including eligibility to serve on a jury, hold public office or obtain some professional licenses. It does not erase a conviction from court records. Expungement seals a conviction from public court records, while a commutation reduces a sentence a person is serving. To qualify, applicants must seek a pardon for a Wisconsin felony, have completed their full sentence—including confinement and supervised release—at least five years ago, and have no pending criminal cases or charges in any jurisdiction. People who are currently required to register as sex offenders are ineligible. Applications and instructions are available through the Wisconsin governor’s website. The next governor will decide whether to continue offering pardons. Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Tiffany, a U.S. representative for northern Wisconsin’s 7th District, said he would consider applications individually, but would not grant pardons at the current rate or pardon people convicted of what he called heinous violent crimes. Democratic candidate David Crowley, Milwaukee County executive, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In an earlier statement about commutations, Crowley said clemency can address excessive sentences, changed laws and demonstrated rehabilitation, while requiring care and respect for victims and communities. Pardons are also a form of clemency. Doyle Sprewer, who holds workshops to help people understand Wisconsin’s pardon application, has advised applicants to be honest and patient and not to become discouraged by the process.