Department of Corrections
Inmate Voter Instructional Guide
WHO: Who is eligible to vote while incarcerated?
To be eligible to vote in an upcoming State or Federal election, you must be registered to vote in
Vermont:
o You must be at least 18 years old by the election;
o You must be a United States Citizen; and
o You must be a Vermont resident.

You cannot use your facility address for residency purposes
WHEN: When is the next election and deadline?
o The next election will be held on (insert election date).
o To be eligible to vote via absentee ballot, you must have submitted your registration by:
(insert deadline for registration).
o An informational clinic and voter registration drive will be held on (insert date and time of
clinic – must be at least 90 days before the election).
WHERE: Where in your facility will the informational clinic and registration drive be held?
o (insert facility location)
CONTACT: Who should you contact if you have any questions or would like to register to vote
before the clinic
o (Insert Volunteer Services Coordinator or designee contact information)
HOW: Once you are registered to vote, how do you request your ballot?
To obtain an absentee ballot, you must contact the Town or City Clerk of the town or city you
are registered to vote in, in writing, and request the absentee ballot. You can request the address
of the appropriate Town or City Clerk from your caseworker.

It is your responsibility to request the absentee ballot.
The ballot will arrive with a return envelope so it can be returned to the clerk and safely stored to
be counted on Election Day.
A ballot can be requested any time before an election. However, the clerk must receive the ballot
by the close of polls on Election Day in order for it to be counted. Clerks will mail absentee
ballots as soon as they are available, but it is recommended that absentee ballots be requested at
least 45 days prior to an election.

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Dated: 5/15/17