DC inmates helped to cast absentee ballots

An anomaly to nationwide practices, D.C. Jails worked with the city’s board of elections to encourage and assist inmates to vote this election season. 88 incarcerated men in D.C. were able to vote by absentee ballot. Although they represent a small percentage of voters, advocates highlight the importance of including all citizens in the democratic process. These men may have returned to their cells after casting their ballots, but their ability to participate in the election is a pivotal American right according to proponents of the effort. Inmate voting advocacy is still a rarity throughout the country.