WATERTOWN, New York (WWNY) – This Election Day, the North Country will get absentee ballots from an unlikely source — inmates who are serving time in the county jail.
This year, New York has opened voter registration to inmates under certain circumstances.
“If they come in for a misdemeanor or a violation, they can vote. If they are here arrested and charged with a felony but have not been sentenced, they can still vote,” said Lt. James Gayne, Jefferson County Jail.
In addition, they are allowed to vote after they finish serving their maximum sentence, are discharged from parole, or are pardoned.
A prisoner is not allowed to vote if they are convicted of a felony or they’re on parole for a felony.
Former Governor Andrew Cuomo signed this into law three years ago, making this the first presidential election where inmates are given a voice.
“I mean it’s their constitutional right to vote, and every citizen should go out and vote. If you don’t vote you can’t complain,” said Gayne.
So are inmates voting? The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office saw 6% of its inmates submit a ballot in this election, while the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office saw 5% send in their ballots.
We didn’t get numbers from the St. Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office.
To help them make this decision, inmates were given an opportunity to watch and listen to the news to stay up to date on the political world. While also talking with their friends and family.
“It’s got to be either stuff they hear from family or on the news. I mean they have TVs in all the units so they can watch,” said Gayne.
Gayne believes that the inmate voters’ interest will increase with each presidential election as the word is still spreading about the new law.