Volunteers register county jail inmates to vote

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette ^ | September 29, 2008 | Gabrielle Banks

[rightwingintelligentsia]

The inmates on 6D crowded around plastic tables, chatting, smiling and milling about, while one volunteer at each table handed out forms and answered a flurry of questions.

From the giddy buzz on the cellblock, you might have guessed they were giving away iPods or fresh turkey dinners with all the fixings.

In reality, a correctional officer had just announced over loudspeakers throughout the Allegheny County Jail that anyone who was eligible to vote yesterday could sign up with the visitors coming onto 33 pods, armed with registration materials.

Joni Rabinowitz, a volunteer with Just Harvest, began fielding questions from the red uniformed men she later described as "extremely interested and very eager to participate."

She was there with about 45 others from groups including the Pennsylvania League of Young Voters; Goodwill of Southwestern Pennsylvania; the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People; the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, ACORN; the Community Voters Project; Work for Progress; and Duquesne University nursing and political science students.

[rightwingintelligentsia]

Obama goes after the prison vote.

[rovenstinez]

Let’s not forget the pyschiatric wards, those under the bridges and tourists just coming through town.

[mass55th]

Since this is a county jail, I’m assuming that the staff is unionized. If Union members are unable to conduct any political activities on government property, how is it that outside civilians are allowed to come into the facility and conduct political activities? Enquiring minds want to know.

[TypeZoNegative]

Since it’s a county jail, they’re probably going for misdemeanor offenders or those who were charged but not convicted.

[deport]

I don’t know PA law but I’m assuming that if they aren’t convicted felons they have the right to register and vote, correct?

[rightwingintelligentsia]

Volunteers explained: You can vote if you've been charged with a felony but haven't had your court date yet. You can vote if you're incarcerated on a misdemeanor conviction. You can vote if you've completed your incarceration on felony counts and are in jail awaiting trial on other charges.

Obama: the first choice of accused felons who haven't had their day in court.

[mass55th]

"Since it’s a county jail, they’re probably going for misdemeanor offenders or those who were charged but not convicted."

They could also be holding those arrested for felonies, probation violators, and even illegal aliens, awaiting trial. The problem is, it's a government facility. Political activities are against the law for employees, so why not for inmates as well? If a convict is eligible to vote, and wants to vote, he could have his family get him the form, or his lawyer. Since they have access to phones, they could probably call on their own and request a form be sent to them at the jail. Organizations like ACORN shouldn't be allowed inside these facilities to gather registrations. As a union member, I wouldn't be able to register fellow staff members, so why is it being allowed with civilians coming in from the outside?

[conservative cat]

What concerns me is whether they have access to true information about the candidates or are stuck watching CNN for an hour a day.