VOTING E-150 FRESNO COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE
JAIL DIVISION POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
TITLE: INMATE VOTING NO: E-150
FILE: VOTING
EFFECTIVE DATE: 12-17-90 REVISED: 12-25-94, 09-01-99, 11-01-05, 04-01-12,
08-15-19
AUTHORITY: Sheriff J. Zanoni APPROVED BY: Assistant Sheriff T. Gattie
REFERENCE: California Code of Regulations, Title 15, Section 1071; Penal Code
Section 2600; and Election Code Sections 2101, 2300, 3061 and 18103.
PURPOSE:
The purpose of this policy is to establish and maintain a method by which eligible inmates
may register to vote in local, state, and federal elections pursuant to established election
codes.
POLICY:
It is the policy of the Fresno County Sheriffs Office Jail Division that inmates who are
eligible to vote in local, state and federal elections may vote via a vote-by-mail ballot.
PROCEDURES:
I. WHO CAN REGISTER TO VOTE
A. In order to register to vote, a person must-
1. Be a citizen of the United States.
2. Be a resident of California.
3. Be at least 18 years of age or older on Election Day.
4. Not be imprisoned or on parole for the conviction of a felony.
"Imprisoned" means currently serving a state or federal prison
sentence.
5. Not be serving a state prison term in a county jail under contract
between state and local officials.
6. Not have been declared mentally incompetent by a court of law.
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FRESNO COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE
JAIL DIVISION POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
TITLE: INMATE VOTING NO: E-150
FILE: VOTING
B. Persons with a felony conviction CAN vote if they are:
1. Serving a sentence in county jail for the conviction of a low-level
felony as defined by the Criminal Justice Realignment Act of 2011
(CJRA).
2. On mandatory supervision release (MSR)or post-release community
supervision (PRCS).
3. On probation (even if in jail as a condition of probation).
4. Done with parole.
5. On federal supervised release.
II. HOW TO REGISTER TO VOTE
A. Inmates who would like to register to vote may submit an Inmate Request
Form (J-146) to Legal Research and request a California Voter
Registration Form.
B. The form must be signed and the portion requesting a vote-by-mail ballot
should be completed and returned to the Fresno County Registrar of
Voters.
C. The registration process can be completed at any time, but in order to be
eligible for an upcoming election, the deadline to register to vote is fifteen
(15) days prior to Election Day.
III. VOTE-BY-MAIL APPLICATION
A. Inmates who are properly registered to vote may write a letter to their
county's elections department requesting an Application for Vote-by-Mail
Ballot. Fresno County residents may submit an Inmate Request Form to
Legal Research, or write to:
Fresno County Registrar of Voters
2221 Kern Street
Fresno, CA 93721
B. The Application for Vote-by-Mail Ballot must be returned and received by
the Registrar of Voters between the twenty-ninth (29t") and seventh (7tn)
day prior to the election.
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FRESNO COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE
JAIL DIVISION POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
TITLE: INMATE VOTING NO: E-150
FILE: VOTING
C. A new Application for Vote-by-Mail Ballot is required for every election.
D. The completed application may either be mailed directly to the Registrarof
Voters, or forwarded to the Inmate Programs Unit. The Inmate Programs
Unit shall be responsible to ensure that the application is forwarded to the
Registrar of Voters.
IV. VOTE-BY-MAIL BALLOT
A. The vote-by-mail ballot is considered a confidential document and shall be
treated as such. The inmate must sign the official return envelope and
give it to an officer unsealed, where it will be checked for contraband and
sealed in the presence of the inmate.
B. The sealed ballot may either be-
1. Forwarded to the Inmate Programs Unit. The Inmate Programs Unit
shall be responsible to ensure that the ballot is forwarded to the
Registrar of Voters; or
2. Placed into an inmate envelope and mailed directly to the Registrar of
Voters. The words "Official Ballot Enclosed" must be written on the
outside of the envelope.
C. The vote-by-mail ballot must be returned and received by the elections
office no later than the close of polls (8.00 p.m.) on Election Day.
V. INMATE RESPONSIBILITY
It shall be the responsibility of each individual inmate to ensure that they:
A. Register to vote and/or request an Application for Vote-by-Mail Ballot and
return said documents prior to the mandated deadlines.
B. Sign and return their vote-by-mail ballot in a timely manner.
C. Notify the Registrar of Voters of their new residence address upon release
from custody.
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