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Returning citizen deputized by Genesee County Sheriff to ensure ‘everyone is heard’

Photo: Johnell Allen (left), a returning citizen, was deputized by Genesee County Sheriff Christopher R. Swanson. Allen describes himself as a “voice for the voiceless.”

Written by Tanya Terry

The Genesee County Sheriff’s Office takes very seriously that people who have the right to vote get the opportunity to vote-even if they are incarcerated, according to Genesee County Sheriff Christopher R. Swanson.

The number of inmates eligible to vote at Genesee County Jail changes by the day, depending on the population. Since the majority of the inmates in the jail as of Oct. 21 were unsentenced, most of them were eligible.

According to Michigan.gov, a person also can register and vote if they are in jail and awaiting trial or sentencing. If they are currently serving a sentence in jail or prison they can’t register or vote.

“Beginning Oct. 16, we began the process of allowing pre-trial detainees the opportunity to both register to vote and to request absentee ballots, said Lt. Todd Lanning, jail commander.

Lt. Todd Lanning

“Over the first three days, we received 113 absentee ballot requests from our detainee population and 64 requests for voter registration,” Lanning added.

Lanning said this process gave the inmates value and the inmates were appreciative of the fact the sheriff’s office was taking every opportunity possible to get them registered to vote.

He said he turned all the ballots and requests over to the Election Division of Genesee County Clerk’s Office. Going forward, pre-trial detainees will have the opportunity to request an absentee ballot. All absentee ballots received are logged, completed by inmates in privacy and upon completion of the process mailed by the U.S. Postal Service to the clerk’s office.

“For any city of Flint absentee ballots, we will secure those on-site until Election Day, and at 5 p.m. on Election Day, we will turn those over in person to the city of Flint Elections Division,” Lanning said.

According to Michigan.gov the voter registration deadline is 15 days before Election Day if a person submits the registration form through a voter registration drive or delivers it to a county clerk or Secretary of State office. If mailed, must be postmarked at least 15 days before the election. However, a person can register any time up through Election Day by going to their city or township clerk office.

Johnell Allen, Nation Outside coordinator, was part of a jail task force implemented by the governor through the Pew Charitable Trusts. Swanson said he was brought in as a “balance” to what the sheriff’s office is doing; as an outside person to make sure the process and system is without fail.

“We are in person in Genesee County Jail,” Allen said.

Allen said his organization works with individuals with felonies on their records. He said every person in the jail who is eligible that wants to register to vote in the upcoming election will be able to.

Allen said he takes pride in being able to stand as a representative of the community of returning citizens, and inmates are receptive to him because he is “one of them.”

Allen described himself as being “the voice for the voiceless.” Allen is working with Mayor Sheldon Neeley, Genesee County Clerk John Gleason, Flint City Clerk Inez Brown and the sheriff’s department to do so.

“We know that there are 10,000 people in this state who are in our jails, who are eligible to vote,” he said. “Out of the 83 counties, Genesee County will be the first to implement a plan of action to make sure that every person…has the right, as a citizen, has a constitutional right, to vote in this election.”

Allen said the ballot was complicated, and they would make sure it was simplified and make sure everyone who has a question has their question answered.

This is important because in the jail, half the population struggles to read and write. The average math level is sixth grade. The average reading comprehension is ninth grade. Five to six out of 10 people there have mental health issues. Nine out of ten of the inmates are addicted or co-addicted.

According to the Constitution, a sheriff can deputize people for the order of the sheriff’s business.
“I asked John L. if he would be interested in being deputized that if there’s a question from the outside, don’t call me-you can call John L. and he can find the answer,” Swanson said.

Allen was deputized on Oct. 21. Swanson said this was done “so everyone could be heard.”

Swanson clarified the process of allowing inmates to vote at Genesee County Jail is not new, but the sheriff’s office is making sure the process is the most transparent it’s ever been.

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