Jail Voting Report Release
On November 1, 2019, the Ballots Over Bars team of Emancipation Initiative is proud to release a new report, Overcoming Barriers that Prevent Eligible Incarcerated People from Voting in Massachusetts [Downloadable PDF]. Read the Commonwealth Magazine exclusive here, Advocates Call for Reforms to Aid Inmate Voting.
Overview
Up to 10,000 voters were incarcerated on Election Day 2018, mostly in jails or Houses of Correction, awaiting trial or serving misdemeanor sentences. Although they retain the legal right to vote while incarcerated, only a small percentage of these voters actually had meaningful access to the ballot. Because there is no system across the Commonwealth’s 14 counties for helping incarcerated people vote, in its place is a legacy of widespread voter disenfranchisement and misinformation.
This report, Overcoming Barriers that Prevent Eligible Incarcerated People from Voting in Massachusetts, for the first time summarizes Massachusetts county sheriffs’ jail voting practices, identifies structural barriers preventing incarcerated voters from exercising their right to vote, and endorses the passage of two bills, S.392 and H. 669 (Acts to Increase Voter Registration and Participation to Help Prevent Recidivism) to remedy this issue, as well as including practical steps that local and state actors can take to ensure all voters are able to exercise their franchise.
Contact Us
It would be our pleasure to answer any questions and receive your feedback on this report, as well as to help people in other states set up campaigns to help incarcerated voters cast their ballots. Please e-mail any feedback to EmancipationInitiative@gmail.com, and include “Jail Voting” in the subject line.