Ballots from behind bars: Colorado jail inmates vote in 2024 election
Denver 7 News
DENVER The election is less than a week away, and ballots are being cast from all over the state, including some from Colorado county jails, where in-person voting is now required for at least one day. This follows the passing of SB24-072 earlier this year, which ensures an in-person voting service will be provided at county jails or detention centers.
"I was proud to sit in the State Capitol rotunda and in the chambers as this was being read on the state level, showcasing Denver as an example of how this works and why no matter where you live in Colorado and in any Colorado county, this should be law," Denver Clerk and Recorder, Paul D. Lpez, said.
In-person voting was offered in 2020 at the Downtown Detention Center and the Denver County Jail, showcasing Denver officials' determination and vision to provide this civic duty to incarcerated people.
"We have to ensure that folks have not only just a pathway out of being confined but that they return to a society, that one they can participate in, that they belong to, that they know they belong to, that they feel like they belong to and civic participation in something as simple as just voting starts that pathway," Lpez said.
It was a team effort that made in-person voting for jail inmates possible. The Denver Sheriff Department and the Office of Clerk & Recorder's Election Division worked with the Colorado Criminal Justice Reform Coalition and the League of Women Voters of Colorado. Additionally, there are specific criteria for who is allowed to vote in jail, as it is illegal for those convicted of a felony to vote.
"The eligibility is for folks who are in our custody that are not serving felony sentences and who are pretrial and who are, determined by the clerk and recorder's office to be eligible, those are the folks that are actually going to be voting," Denver Sheriff, Elias Diggins, said.
Ballots were cast at Van Cise-Simonet Detention Center on Wednesday morning, and some people, like Raul Vidaurri, voted for the first time. He described this moment as "very exciting, very new, I guess; its more of a new start, new beginning."
Another inmate, Jerome Whitfield, expressed his appreciation for putting his civic duty into action. He said, "Im actually kind of excited about making myself a part of the community. You know Ive been incarcerated, but it shows that you know my word still matters out there."
Whether it was inmates' first time voting or not, they felt included in the political process and believed their vote made a difference.
"Usually, we have a few people from each pod of our vote, but this time, we have like ten to 15 people from each pod," explained Kyle Giddings with the Colorado Criminal Justice Reform Coalition. "So we're working through the jail, and it's going really well."