Ahead of the November election, Vermont’s Department of Corrections hosted a first-of-its-kind candidate forum inside one of its facilities.
Three political candidates shared their campaign platforms in front of an audience of incarcerated people at Southern State Correctional Facility in Springfield on Oct. 25.
Vermont is one of only two states in the country where incarcerated people can vote — Maine is the other. Incarcerated people in the District of Columbia can vote, as well. Vermont Department of Corrections Commissioner Nicholas Deml said he hopes this year's forum was the first of many.
"This gives us the opportunity for us to celebrate that we have the right to vote — for incarcerated folks in Vermont," he said, "but also the opportunity for them to ask questions of candidates that are running for offices that they can vote on."
The department invited major party candidates in Vermont’s races for U.S. Senate, U.S. House and governor. Three candidates said yes: Democratic Congresswoman Becca Balint, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Esther Charlestin, and Gerald Malloy, a Republican challenging Bernie Sanders for his Senate seat.
"I'm very happy to be here," Malloy said before the event. "Bottom line, I think everybody gets a second chance. I think that’s kind of the whole idea of prison. Pay your dues, come back into society hopefully having learned some things, and be a productive member of society."
About 30 incarcerated individuals chose to attend the forum. They wore sneakers and their blue uniforms, many with long-sleeved white shirts underneath. They submitted questions in advance, and Deputy Secretary of State Lauren Hibbert moderated the event and added questions of her own.
The candidates spent most of their time discussing topics like criminal justice reform, reentry support and the drug crisis. Malloy brought up the need to secure the country's borders to reduce the illegal drug supply. Balint discussed her work in Congress pushing for federal funding for programs that support low-income families. Charlestin voiced her concern for Vermont’s vulnerable children and people exiting the carceral system.
"They're Vermonters as well," she said. "And so to have the opportunity and honor to answer their questions, to let them see who I am and who they could be potentially voting for, was important to me."
While Vermont is one of the few places in the country where incarcerated people can vote, the state does not track voter turnout in its correctional facilities. Independent researchers have found that about 13% of incarcerated Vermonters voted in the 2016 elections, compared to 65% of all eligible residents.
Congresswoman Balint hoped the forum would help increase participation in Vermont elections.
"I think it’s really important that we go wherever the voters are," she said, "And I know that, traditionally, the turnout rate for incarcerated people in Vermont is very low. And if I can do anything to help bring that up, I want to do that."
Due to scheduling issues with the candidates, the forum took place less than two weeks from Election Day. All incarcerated people would have already needed to submit their absentee ballots prior to the event. Some attendees weren’t aware of this.
Michael, a 33-year-old who is incarcerated at Southern State, said he was grateful the three candidates spent the time to visit the facility. He had already mailed in his ballot.
"We matter, our opinions matter, our votes matter," he said.
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