Free the Vote NY
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Working Group
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Free the Vote NY 〰️ Working Group 〰️
This working group focuses on protecting and expanding modern access to the right to vote for justice-involved citizens:
Developing and advancing legislation to provide a modern voting program for eligible New Yorkers in jails who have not lost the right to vote, improving voter registration and ballot access for detained or confined citizens across the state (Democracy During Detention).
Improving civic education for detained and incarcerated New Yorkers and raising awareness about eligibility criteria and key deadlines.
Ending felony disenfranchisement and restoring full voting rights to incarcerated citizens.
Democracy During Detention Act
the problem
Thousands of citizens are held in New York jails who have not lost the right to vote, but their freedom to vote is limited at best or is outright denied.
46 out of 62 NYS counties have NO program for voter registration or voting in jails.
who is affected?
The Solution
Enact the Democracy During Detention Act (S440 - Sen. Myrie/A2121 - AM Walker) to
Ensure fair and timely access to at least one secure voting method-such as absentee voting, voting by mail, or in-person voting at polling sites-for detained citizens who still retain their right to vote.
Establish a statewide program to educate and improve voter registration or ballot access for eligible citizens held in jails.
Requires a bipartisan election administration led by election officials in cooperation with corrections officials to provide in-person voting options, including absentee ballot collection or the establishment of polling sites within jails.
Create a modern voter-centric policy with enhanced accountability, education, and improved access to civil rights.
advocacy tools
Legislation:
Op-Eds & Articles:
Incarcerated People on Rikers Island Face the Risk of Systematic Disenfranchisement
by Alice Finno, Columbia Journalism School (November 3, 2024).
Most people on Rikers Island are eligible to vote. Thousands don’t get to
by Brigid Bergin, Gothamist (September 19, 2024).
Opinion: Facilitating democracy during detention
by Ashely Torries and John Quigley, City & State NY (August 26, 2024).
Opinion: People held in pretrial detention must be able to vote
by Rachel Landy and Jarret Berg, Syracuse.com (March 13, 2024).
NYC advocates call for Council hearing on jail detainees’ undercounted votes
by Graham Rayman, New York Daily News (April 1, 2024).
Research:
Voting in New York State Jails: A Qualitative Analysis of Access
by League of Voters of New York (June 2023).
Recommendations for Implementing Jail Voting: Identifying Common Themes
by Christine Than, Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation, Harvard
Kennedy School (February 20, 2024).
Get involveD
Join the Free The Vote Working Group to continue protecting and expanding modern access to the right to vote for justice-involved citizens in New York.
