By Olivia Prentzel | Colorado Sun
Colorado could become the first state to require county jails to set up in-person voting stations for incarcerated voters under a Democratic-backed bill that has sparked criticism that it would pose financial and logistical hurdles to already-strapped sheriff’s offices.
Advocates of Senate Bill 72 say placing polling stations inside jails would reduce barriers to a fundamental right for those eligible to vote. Opponents say the current system is working and the new law would be an “unfunded mandate” that would cause disruptions.
In Colorado, incarcerated people awaiting trial or serving a sentence for a misdemeanor conviction are eligible to vote.
If passed, it could impact nearly 6,000 people who are confined waiting for a trial on any given Election Day in Colorado’s jails.