Inmates cast in-person ballots during Northern Colorado jail voting event

Inmates being held in the Larimer County Jail in Northern Colorado showed up in record numbers this year for voting after a new Colorado law went into effect. In 2024 Colorado became the first state in the United States to require counties offer in-person voting to inmates who are legally qualified to vote.

"Everybody here is innocent until proven guilty. Just because you are in our building doesn't mean you should lose your right to vote," said Steven LaChance, program specialist at the Larimer County Sheriff's Office.

Inmates who have not lost their right to vote due to felony conviction have always been allowed to vote. However, in previous years, the inmates were typically left to vote via mail-in ballot.

Now, under Colorado's new law, many more inmates were seen exercising their freedom to vote. The first step of the process was meeting with elections staff members to check their registration or register to vote.

"It means a lot to me. I want everyone to have the opportunity to exercise their right to vote," said Tina Harris, clerk and recorder in Larimer County.

Harris joined Sheriff John Feyen in supervising the voting event held at the jail. As part of an agreement to access the event, CBS News Colorado agreed to not show the faces of the inmates during the voting event.

After registering or checking their registration, the inmates were then taken to another room in the facility. There, they met with elections staff to make sure they obtained the correct ballot for their community. They were also given resources to make sure they were able to understand each measure they were voting on.

"This really enhances that process by us being here in person to provide the information they may need, such as a blue book or tabor notice, and provide that support to them," Harris said.

LaChance said, in prior years without required in-person voting, turnout among inmates was relatively low each year. Of the estimated 500 inmates in custody, LaChance said only a small handful would typically cast a mail-in ballot.

"(In previous years) we've maybe had five people out of the whole building vote. So seeing a whole lot of people get to experience this is amazing. It is nice to see," LaChance said.

Inmates were not the only ones allowed to cast their ballots while at the event. Some sheriff's office deputies joined in to cast their ballots.

At one point, an inmate and a deputy both stood beside each other, with privacy walls concealing their votes. For a moment in time, both an inmate and a deputy shared the same level of freedom at the same time -- their freedom to ensure their voices are heard at the ballot box.