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FACT BRIEF

Has Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers issued pardons to 1,111 people with cannabis convictions?

By Tom Kertscher
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NO

As of Nov. 29, 2023, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers had issued 1,111 pardons to people convicted of all crimes, not just cannabis convictions.

Evers’ announcement cited what the recipients did “to overcome their past mistakes and build positive, rewarding lives.”

A pardon is an official act of forgiveness for a criminal offense. It restores civil rights such as the right to hold office, possess firearms and hold certain licenses.

A pardon does not remove a conviction from public records.

The governor’s office said it does not have a database showing how many pardons were for marijuana convictions.

Evers’ latest pardons announcement, Nov. 22, listed pardons for 82 people, including 28 for a marijuana conviction, mostly possession.

The 96 pardons announced July 21 included 38 cannabis convictions.

That announcement said Evers had broken the record for pardons issued by a Wisconsin governor — Julius Heil’s 943 pardons between 1939 and 1943.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
State of Wisconsin Press Release: Gov. Evers Grants 82 Pardons, Bringing Total Pardons Granted to 1,111
Wisconsin State Legislature Pardons
evers.wi.gov Pardon Information
State of Wisconsin Gov. Evers granted pardons to the following people
State of Wisconsin Press Release: Gov. Evers Grants 96 Pardons, Bringing Total Pardons Granted to 1,029
State of Wisconsin Gov. Evers granted pardons to the following people
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Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.