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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
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    2

    Default Can You Be Denied the Right to Vote if You're in Jail

    My question involves civil rights in the State of: Georgia

    My brother has served 2 months of a current six month sentence in a Georiga county jail. He has no felony charges/convictions and is registered to vote in the State of Georgia (He registered prior Feb. 1, 2016).

    He asked correctional officers and Sgt's several times leading up to the Georgia primary election, and was denied by officers.

    Does he have actions he can take?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jun 2014
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    3,212

    Default Re: Denied Voting Rights

    If he is in jail, he can't vote. There is no action he can take. He should have thought about that before he committed the crime that put him there.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
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    Default Re: Denied Voting Rights

    If he's in jail while awaiting trial or is incarcerated on a misdemeanor, he can vote by absentee ballot, but the jail does not have an obligation to help him obtain an absentee ballot. If he is convicted of a felony, he has to wait until he's out of jail (and off of parole) to vote.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Posts
    1,421

    Default Re: Denied Voting Rights

    Oh God. Another Trump supporter. (OP's brother)

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2014
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    8,238

    Default Re: Can You Be Denied the Right to Vote if You're in Jail

    Georgia statute only denies the right to vote to those convicted of felonies that are crimes of moral turpitude, and even then only while the felon is in prison. For those convicted of a misdemeanor offense and are in jail or are awaiting trial on charges, they still have the right to vote. Of course, they'd need to be able to do so by absentee ballot or otherwise by mail since the jail is not about to take him to the polling place to vote.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jun 2014
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    3,212

    Default Re: Denied Voting Rights

    There are deadlines for requesting to vote absentee. It usually, if not always, takes more than requesting it. A form may have to be filled out and sent in along with verification.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
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    2

    Default Re: Denied Voting Rights

    Quote Quoting Ohiogal
    View Post
    Oh God. Another Trump supporter. (OP's brother)
    It isn't your business who he wanted to vote for, though it certainly wasn't Trump nor Cruz as I will ignorantly assume you voted for.

    The inmates at the Whitfield County Jail have access to a kiosk, attached to a wall inside the housing units, they were told they would be able to use to vote. Like I said, my brother had made it known to the jail faculty his desire to vote 2 months prior to the Georgia primaries.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Oct 2014
    Posts
    8,238

    Default Re: Denied Voting Rights

    Quote Quoting varJosh
    View Post

    The inmates at the Whitfield County Jail have access to a kiosk, attached to a wall inside the housing units, they were told they would be able to use to vote. Like I said, my brother had made it known to the jail faculty his desire to vote 2 months prior to the Georgia primaries.
    O.k., and was your brother was registered to vote in that county? What was the reason that the jail staff gave him for why he was not allowed to vote? Did he look into trying to get an absentee ballot at all?

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Posts
    7

    Default Re: Can You Be Denied the Right to Vote if You're in Jail

    Absent a felony conviction, parole or probation, an individual in jail can vote via absentee ballot. Suit was filed in Ohio regarding access to ballots while in jail. See: http://www.plainsite.org/dockets/nn6...-husted-et-al/

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
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    Default Re: Can You Be Denied the Right to Vote if You're in Jail

    The question is about Georgia law, not Ohio law. As was clearly stated above, "[the inmate] can vote by absentee ballot".

    The OP has mentioned that the jail has some sort of "kiosk", but has not been back to answer questions about the "kiosk". That may be nothing but a private place to complete and return an absentee ballot.

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