Alabama Inmates Register To Vote in Prison

With two million people in prison and jail if this practice continues to expand, I can't wait to see candidates going into the prisons to campaign.

September 16, 2008

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) - Alabama inmates are registering to vote in prison in a new effort organized by activist groups with the cooperation of state corrections officials.

Nearly 80 prisoners have filled out registration forms so far during voter drives at two lockups on Monday and Tuesday. Organizer Kenneth Glasgow plans to help them and hundreds more obtain absentee ballots in time to vote in November.

The state attorney general's office issued an opinion seven years ago saying inmates could vote using absentee ballots. However, confusion and lawsuits followed over which convicted felons had the right to vote because of a murky phrase in state law.

Specifically, some crimes involve moral terpitude, and others do not. If a person has been convicted of a crime involving moral terpitude -- which involves more grave, serious crimes -- then that person is ineligible to vote unless his or her voting rights have been restored.

A person convicted of a crime that doesn't involve moral terpitude remains eligible to vote.

Corrections spokesman Brian Corbett says no one has previously registered inmates to vote in state prisons.

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