According to this article from the Prison Policy Initiative, most people in jail are legally eligible to vote, but in practice, they cannot. This “de facto disenfranchisement” stems from numerous factors, including widespread misinformation about eligibility, myriad barriers to voter registration, and challenges to casting a ballot.

The article explains who in jail is eligible to vote (state by state), discusses the barriers that keep them from voting, and offers recommendations for advocates, policymakers, election officials, and sheriffs to ensure that people in jail are able to vote.