LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Some people in custody at Metro Corrections are now eligible to vote in the midterm elections with an absentee ballot after Louisville Metro Council passed a resolution in October.
Keyius Malone, 22, is voting for the first time, and he'll be casting his ballot behind bars.
"My vote matters," Malone said. "It could make a big change to the community and a lot of people don't vote and they don't understand how important it is to vote."
The newfound eligibility to vote has led to important conversations. Thomas Embry, another first-time voter, gets advice from his mother on who to vote for in the election.
"I just kind of wanted to see if she ever voted," Embry said. "I wasn't sure if she had voted before and see some of her standpoints, people that she liked to vote for."
Metro Council passed a resolution to allow non-violent, non-felony offenders the opportunity to vote while in custody.
It's an effort that's been months in the making, requiring collaboration between the jail in downtown Louisville, the Jefferson County Clerk's Office and volunteers.
Shelton McElroy is one of those volunteers. He went dorm-to-dorm and talked to more than 1,500 people to let them know they could vote.
"I had men walk up to me and say they had never missed an election and were so honored that they were going to get to still cast their ballot," McElroy said.
The jail's top psychologist, Mariya Leyderman, said the opportunity to exercise the civic duty empowers people housed at Metro Corrections.
"It's a really important initiative to allow people to have access to their rights and also make those things accessible to them," Leyderman said.
The long-term plan is to eventually have a general voting area for inmates to vote in future elections in-person at the jail.
Related Stories:
Copyright 2022 WDRB Media. All Rights Reserved.
