Efforts to Facilitate Voting for Rikers Island Inmates
The City Council is working to make it simpler for the many inmates on Rikers Island to cast their votes, proposing that prison officials address any mistakes on their ballots. However, the Department of Corrections (DOC) argues that implementing this law could result in significant complications for the inmates.
This bill, put forth by City Council member Cervena Brooks-Powers, aims to require the DOC to aid inmates with “ballot remediation.” Yet, the DOC maintains that this responsibility lies with the Election Commission.
“Most individuals on Rikers Island are eligible to vote, but various hurdles hinder them from exercising this right,” explained Brooks-Powers, a Democrat representing southeast Queens.
The proposed legislation would mandate that the DOC and the Board of Elections (BOE) create procedures for sending out ballot cure notices in prisons, assist inmates in fixing or replacing faulty absentee ballots, and report annual statistics on ballot remediation efforts.
Currently, there are 11 co-sponsors for the bill, along with various non-voting supporters.
About 83% of the inmates at Rikers have been previously detained and could qualify to vote if they haven’t been convicted of a felony. Despite this, less than 10% of these individuals participated in the last election, according to a report from a council committee.
In the fiscal year 2026, the average daily inmate count was around 7,100.
“Voting is our most fundamental right, one that underpins all others,” stated Councilwoman Gail Brewer, who chairs the Government Operations Committee, during a recent hearing. “Unfortunately, very few people on Rikers can actually exercise that right.”
Brooks-Powers pointed out that voters should receive notifications allowing them to correct any administrative errors on their ballots. However, inmates often don’t see these notifications since they’re sent to addresses outside the prison.
Another bill introduced by public defender Jumaane Williams would mandate city jails to produce annual public reports on voter registration and absentee ballot distribution, detailing this information by facility and demographic groups.
In the June 2024 primary, 364 detainees asked for absentee or early mail-in ballots, yet only 155 were delivered, and only 72 were ultimately counted.
“The BOE often rejects registration forms and absentee ballots,” Williams commented. “This wouldn’t be acceptable outside of prison, and it shouldn’t be at Rikers either.” His bill also has three co-sponsors.
Supporters of voting rights argue that relying solely on absentee ballots effectively excludes many voters. They urge the state Legislature to approve in-person voting locations around Rikers.
“This isn’t radical or difficult. It’s about reaching people where they are,” said Darren Mack, a voting member of the New York City Prison Coalition and someone with previous incarceration experience. He addressed the issue during a rally leading up to the hearing.
“Inmates possess a constitutional right to vote, yet this right is frequently denied in practice,” he asserted.
