Legalize Kentucky Now Chairman and CEO Mike Ward served as a State Representative from 1989 to 1994, serving the Highlands area of Louisville.  During his time he achieved a coveted spot on both the Education Committee (at a time when, KERA, the Kentucky Education Reform Act was passed) and the Appropriations and Revenue Committee.  In these roles he began to play an active part in many significant pieces of legislation, including KERA, the creation of the Workforce Development Cabinet and introduced the first Sex Offender Registry bill in Kentucky.  It passed after Ward left the General Assembly to take his Congressional seat.

He was elected to United States House of Representatives from Kentucky’s Third District in 1994, serving until 1997.  His time there included service on the Committee on National Security and the Science and Space Committee.  Ward was also a member of the Message Committee of the Democratic Leadership team.

Ward was appointed by President Bill Clinton to serve as Associate Director of the Peace Corps, where he served until 2001.  Ward has managed political campaigns and grass roots school funding initiatives in twenty states.  He uses the political skills and knowledge gained over a lifetime of public service to advocate for Cannabis rights