Local leaders and prison officials have collaborated to help enable early voting for inmates at the Montgomery County Correctional Facility in the 2024 election, writes Justin Heinze for the Patch.
Unlike convicted felons, incarcerated individuals awaiting trial as well as inmates convicted of a misdemeanor are eligible to vote.
The majority of inmates at Montgomery County Correctional Facility are only there for a short time.
“We are committed to ensuring that every eligible voter in Montgomery County is able to cast a ballot in the upcoming election,” said Montgomery County Commissioner Jamila Winder. “This is especially true for marginalized and often overlooked populations, including the incarcerated, many of whom have the right to cast a ballot.”
A total of 123 people filled in their mail-in applications, while 43 returned their ballots on the spot.
The county’s elections staff provided information to prisoners about their eligibility along with one-on-one assistance with voter registration.
“They deserve to have a say in what the community they will be re-entering will look like,” said Winder.
Read more about early voting for inmates in Montgomery County in the Patch.
