Voting Access for All Coalition (VAAC) will host the next Statewide Jail Voting Work Group meeting on Thursday, March 26 at 10:00 a.m.

This work group brings together partners from across Michigan to build coordinated efforts that ensure individuals who are legally eligible to vote while detained in jail have access to the ballot.

In Michigan, people who are detained in jail while awaiting trial or not serving a sentence remain eligible to vote. Yet access to the ballot is not consistent. In many cases, whether someone is able to vote depends on the county where they are detained.

This work focuses on building the infrastructure, relationships, and accountability systems needed to change that and ensure access is not dependent on geography, but consistent across Michigan.

As we move closer to upcoming elections, the urgency of this work continues to grow. Many eligible voters in jails are still falling through the cracks due to barriers in registration, information access, and absentee voting.

During this meeting, VAAC will share updates on the statewide strategy and outline next steps for coordinated implementation, including clear ways for people to plug into the work.

If you work in or around jails, have relationships with clerks or sheriffs, are engaged in reentry or civic education work, or are committed to ensuring all eligible voters can participate, your participation is needed.