Eligible voters are sitting in Michigan jails today, and the November 3 General Election is quickly approaching.

On Wednesday, September 30, Voting Access For All Coalition will host the Vote Unlocked MI Kickoff Convening, an in-person jail voting workshop bringing together jail leadership, clerks and election officials, voting-rights organizations, directly impacted leaders, and legal partners from Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, and Genesee Counties.

The goal is to identify gaps before Election Day, strengthen coordination between jails and election officials, share resources and effective practices, and develop clear pathways for eligible voters in jail to register, request a ballot, and vote.

Yes, some people in Michigan jails can vote

Being in jail does not automatically take away someone’s right to vote in Michigan.

People who are detained while awaiting arraignment, trial, or sentencing can be eligible to register and vote. People with past convictions and people on probation or parole can also vote. A person currently serving a sentence in jail or prison cannot vote during that period of confinement.

For eligible voters who are detained, however, having the legal right to vote and being able to exercise that right are not always the same thing.

Voting from jail can require coordination among voters, jail staff, local clerks, election officials, community organizations, and others working to make sure eligible voters can register, receive a ballot, complete it, and return it on time.

Identifying gaps before Election Day

The September 30 convening will bring together people working at different points in that process.

Participants will have an opportunity to identify barriers eligible detained voters may be experiencing, discuss coordination between jails and election officials, share effective practices, and work toward clearer pathways for registration and ballot access.

Attendees will also receive jail voting materials and resources that can be shared with eligible detained voters, jail staff, election officials, community organizations, and others supporting voting access.

These materials are intended to strengthen voter education, clarify eligibility, and support registration and ballot access inside Michigan jails.

Who should attend?

The Vote Unlocked MI Kickoff Convening is intended to bring together:

• Jail leadership and staff
• Clerks and election officials
• Voting-rights and civic engagement organizations
• Directly impacted leaders
• Legal partners
• Others working to support voting access for eligible people detained in Michigan jails

The initial convening will focus on Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, and Genesee Counties.

Register for the Vote Unlocked MI Kickoff Convening

Wednesday, September 30
10:30 AM–1:30 PM EDT
In person

The event location is private. Register for the Vote Unlocked MI Kickoff Convening to receive additional event details.

If an eligible voter in a Michigan jail does not have access to a ballot, we should know about it before Election Day, not after.