Seven Nevada Jails in Compliance with Voting Rights

Seven jails in Nevada are now fully compliant with Assembly Bill 286 following a settlement agreement with Elko County to ensure adherence to the law.

AB286 was designed to reduce the disenfranchisement of eligible voters in jails during election years. According to ACLU of Nevada Voting Rights Attorney Sadmira Ramic, when the bill went into effect, no jails were compliant, risking continued disenfranchisement.

However, through collaboration between the ACLU of Nevada, jail administrators, and county clerks, most jails in the state have policies in place to facilitate ballot access for eligible voters. Ramic emphasized the ongoing effort to combat outdated policies undermining democracy.

Earlier this year, the ACLU of Nevada discovered that local jails were not complying with AB286, which mandates the creation of processes to allow eligible prisoners to vote. They presented a compliance check of the bill to the Interim Legislative Operations Committee, setting a deadline for response before taking legal action.

While several jails cooperated with the ACLU to become compliant, Elko County did not respond, prompting a lawsuit. Following the lawsuit, Elko County collaborated with the ACLU, and on Wednesday, May 29, a settlement agreement was reached ensuring compliance.

The six other Nevada counties that worked directly with the ACLU to become compliant were Mineral, Washoe, North Las Vegas, Henderson, Carson City, and Clark County.

“Every Nevada voter deserves the right to have their voices heard, and people detained in our jails are no exception,” said ACLU of Nevada Executive Director Athar Haseebullah.

He credited Assemblywoman Miller, the Nevada Legislature, and Governor Lombardo for recognizing this necessity in approving AB286. Haseebullah highlighted that thousands of Nevadans now have the chance to participate in democracy.

While it was disappointing that compliance required demands and court filings, he expressed gratitude for local governments conforming with the law and praised Elko County for negotiating and achieving compliance. He reiterated the ACLU’s commitment to ensuring the right to vote for eligible voters, regardless of their location.

Most prisoners detained in jails are held pre-trial or serving misdemeanor sentences and have not lost their right to vote.