Equity and Inclusion Cabinet Partners with Healing Our Land Inc. to Increase Voting Access for Eligible Incarcerated Population

BOSTON– Thursday, July 17, 2024 – The City of Boston’s Equity and Inclusion Cabinet is partnering with Healing Our Land Inc. (HOLI) to deliver on-site voting education and outreach for incarcerated voters in Suffolk County House of Correction and Suffolk County Jail, through the Ballots Behind Bars initiative. The Ballots Behind Bars Initiative is focused on raising awareness about the challenges faced by incarcerated voters. The initiative will also better connect key stakeholders with HOLI’s efforts to dismantle voting barriers and ensure equitable access for pre-trial detainees and non-felony misdemeanor voters in Boston. 

“Ensuring that every eligible voter has access to opportunity and resources is critical to ensuring that Boston is a city for everyone,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “I’m grateful to our Equity and Inclusion Cabinet, Office of Returning Citizens, Office of LGBTQ Advancement, and Healing Our Land Inc. for their leadership and ongoing work to support and empower our residents who are incarcerated.”

The Ballots Behind Bars initiative will engage local incarcerated individuals around the barriers to the voting process and provide educational materials with the aim to increase their access and knowledge of their rights. Eligible incarcerated individuals face barriers to the voting process including but not limited to a lack of education about voting, difficulties obtaining and mailing ballots, and incorrect information around new voting laws and what ballots are able to be counted. 

“Ensuring that every eligible voter has access to the ballot, regardless of their circumstances, is essential for a truly inclusive democracy,” said City Council President Ruthzee Louijeune. “This partnership is a critical step in breaking down the barriers that prevent incarcerated individuals from exercising their right to vote. By providing education and resources, we are empowering these citizens to have a voice in our democratic process.”

“Whether you are a pretrial detainee or if you’re incarcerated and paying your debt to society on a misdemeanor, you still have the privilege of exercising your right to vote, which is one of the most important, most significant tenets of our democracy,” said Suffolk County Sheriff Steven W. Tompkins.

The mission of the Equity and Inclusion Cabinet is to improve social determinants of health for Bostonians, centering racial justice and historically excluded constituencies. HOLI is a non-profit organization with a mission to serve both the currently incarcerated population as well as returning citizens. HOLI staff and volunteers also assist residents behind bars in Boston to exercise their right to vote and build a more inclusive democracy. 

“The Equity Cabinet wants to end the disenfranchisement of incarcerated voters,” said Mariangely Solis Cervera, Chief of Equity & Inclusion. “Everyone who can vote, should vote. Ensuring voting education in our jails will help advance equitable access for those who are eligible in Boston to take part in our democracy.”

“We have a historic opportunity to eliminate de facto disenfranchisement inside of local jails and to end felony (de jure) disenfranchisement across the commonwealth. It is both an honor and privilege to do this work along with incarcerated organizers as central leaders in our project, a unique and central characteristic of our collaborative movement,” said Pastor Franklin Hobbs, Founder and Executive Director of HOLI.

While Massachusetts state law precludes citizens incarcerated for a felony conviction from voting in elections, pre-trial detainees and those incarcerated for non-felony misdemeanors are eligible voters. Individuals convicted of a felony regain their right to vote upon release from incarceration, however, they face numerous challenges to their successful return home and to society, including homelessness and food insecurity. The Human Services Cabinet, specifically the Office of Returning Citizens, works to support returning citizens with returning to their families, flourishing in their communities, and regaining their sense of dignity.

“The Human Services Cabinet provides services to all Bostonians, including the incarcerated population,” said José Massó, Chief of Human Services`. “Navigating the logistics of Massachusetts voting law is vital for accessibility in our jails, and with HOLI’s help, we can offer eligible voters the resources they need to take part in our voting process.” 

"The Mayor's Office of Returning Citizens is thrilled about the collaboration with HOLI to empower incarcerated individuals to exercise their right to vote," said Ashley Montgomery, Executive Director of the Office of Returning Citizens.  "Empowering incarcerated individuals through education and outreach is essential for ensuring that every voice is heard, even behind bars."

Incarceration is an issue that disproportionately impacts certain communities more than others. This disparity is particularly evident amongst marginalized groups, including people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, and those from low-income backgrounds. 

"Increasing voter access within incarceration facilities is crucial for addressing the systemic injustices faced by LGBTQ+ individuals. LGBTQ+ adults are incarcerated at three times the rate of the general population, and LGBTQ+ youth are doubly represented among incarcerated youth compared to their share in the general population,” said Jullieanne Doherty Lee, Executive Director, The Mayor’s Office of LGBTQ+ Advancement. “These disparities are driven by factors such as homelessness, poverty, unemployment, and discrimination, all of which disproportionately affect our community. Ensuring that incarcerated individuals have the right to vote is a step toward dismantling these inequities and amplifying the voices of those most affected by the criminal legal system."

"By addressing voting rights for incarcerated individuals, we are taking a significant step towards dismantling systemic barriers and ensuring that every voice in our community is heard," said Lori Nelson, Senior Advisor for Racial Justice. 

Through this partnership, HOLI will support research and data collection on the current landscape of incarcerated voter access in Boston, spearhead civic education programming in South Bay House of Correction and Nashua Street Jail, and report back to the Equity and Inclusion Cabinet with steps to increase voting accessibility. HOLI staff and volunteers will ultimately enter the jails to assist with voter registration and conduct civic engagement.

“The exclusion of eligible voters in jails and the disenfranchisement of people with felony convictions undermines political power and exacerbates the racially discriminatory outcomes of the criminal legal system,” said Dr. DeAnza A. Cook, HOLI Board Member. 

"Empowering incarcerated people through the ballot builds responsibility and accountability, which is the cornerstone of rehabilitation and civic duty," said Hamza J. Berrios, DBBC Co-Coordinator of the Jail-Based Voting (JBV)/Civic Education Team, Member of the African American Coalition Committee.

For more information, please visit the Equity and Inclusion Cabinet’s website or contact the Cabinet at equity@boston.gov.

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