Many West Virginians in jail are eligible to vote but may not know

Nearly half of people in West Virginia’s overcrowded jails have not been convicted and are awaiting trial, making many of them eligible to vote in the current election. State law also permits individuals incarcerated for a misdemeanor crime to vote.

They’d have to access an absentee ballot through jail officials by Oct. 30, but many incarcerated individuals are unaware they can vote, according to American Civil Liberties Union of West Virginia Director Eli Baumwell.

“The jails aren’t very good at informing people that they have the right or making it accessible to get them absentee ballots,” he said, adding that many people are sitting in jails in the impoverished state because they can’t afford bail.

“They have to go up to jail officials to request them,” he said.



https://westvirginiawatch.com/2024/10/25/many-west-virginians-in-jail-are-eligible-to-vote-but-may-not-know/