Los Angeles Jails Enable Inmate Voting in Midterms
Los Angeles County inmates at several detention facilities were able to register and cast ballots in the midterm elections.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Civic Engagement
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The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department enabled inmates at several detention facilities to vote in the midterm elections. The Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk's office processed the completed inmate voter registration forms.
Why it matters
The effort gives eligible people held in county custody a way to participate in the midterm elections while in jail. It shows how county agencies coordinated registration and in-facility voting in Los Angeles.
Registration forms were distributed through detention facility kitchens and included in inmate meal deliveries from September 17-18. Voting booths opened at Men's Central Jail, Central Regional Detention Facility, and North County Correctional Facility on October 26, with the number of inmates who registered or voted not reported.
The players
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department
The county law enforcement agency that oversees the jails and enabled inmates at several detention facilities to vote in the midterm elections.
Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk
The county office responsible for elections in Los Angeles County, which processed inmate registration forms and staffed the voting booths.
The details
Inmate registration began September 2, with the Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk's office helping prepare voting posters, flyers, and registration forms. Eligible inmates registered on multiple floors at Men's Central Jail from September 22-25, and all completed forms were sent to the Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk's office for processing on September 25. Community Transition Unit staff escorted office personnel through the facilities, and office staff manned the voting booths on designated days.
Timeline
September 2: Inmate voter registration begins.
September 17-18: Registration forms delivered to detention facility kitchens.
September 22-25: Eligible inmates register at Men's Central Jail.
September 25: Completed forms sent for processing.
October 26: Voting booths open at three detention facilities.
Legal Context
Under California law, people held in county jail who have not been convicted retain the right to vote, and Los Angeles County's program applies that principle through in-facility registration and voting booths. The effort extends voter access inside detention facilities rather than requiring release for ballots to be cast.
Eligible people held in Los Angeles County detention facilities who meet voter eligibility rules can register and cast ballots at in-facility booths on designated days. Residents with a relative or friend in county custody should be aware that in-facility voting is available at these sites.
The takeaway
Voting access does not stop at the jail door for eligible people who have not been convicted, and the Los Angeles program shows how counties can bring registration and ballots inside. Readers interested in election administration can follow how these in-facility programs are run and reported.
Further reading
For broader context on how voters take part in local government, explore more civic engagement coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by KESQ.
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Should people held in county jails be allowed to vote?
