Nation Outside and Voting Access for All Coalition collaborated to write an issue brief titled, “Ensuring the Right to Vote: How to Expand Voting Access in Michigan Jails.”

In Michigan and across the country, people who are incarcerated in pretrial detention retain their right to vote. However, it may be practically impossible for jailed voters to exercise this right. We call this jail-based disenfranchisement. Through this report, we hope to reduce jail-based disenfranchisement by offering advocates, lawmakers, sheriffs, clerks, and other local officials the information and tools they need to address this issue in their communities.

To alleviate barriers that jailed individuals face in casting a ballot, all Michigan jails should have policies, practices, and programming that provide for:

1. Voter Education
2. Voter Registration
3. Absentee Voting
4. Election Day or In-Person Voting
5. Partnerships and Collaboration
6. Transparency and Accountability