'Our voice matters': San Quentin prisoners cast their ballots in mock election

SAN QUENTIN, Calf. (KGO) -- At San Quentin Rehabilitation Center, an election-year tradition just wrapped up. Prisoners casted their ballot in a mock election to make their voices heard, despite being denied the right to vote while serving felony sentences.

Hundreds of prisoners incarcerated inside of San Quentin are keeping current with the news not just to be in the know, but also to be informed voters.

"I like giving people the feeling of agency - that their voice matters," said Juan Moreno Haines, who is incarcerated at San Quentin.

Haines is one of the estimated 4 million people nationwide who will not get a chance to vote in the 2024 election because they've been convicted of a felony, have not completed a prison sentence, or are on probation.

"Democracy needs everyone and we're a part of the society," said Haines. "The fact that we're incarcerated, we're still American citizens. We care about our communities and our voice matters."

For the last four presidential elections, Haines has been a part of the team organizing a mock election at the facility: real views expressed, just not real votes.

The ballots these men cast won't count in the final tally, but it will ensure their views are not counted out.

Nationally, roughly one in 52 adults can't vote due to a current or prior felony conviction. In California, you can vote after you've served your time - but not if you're currently in a state or federal prison.

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"Who are you going to vote for Juan?" asked ABC7 News anchor Julian Glover a few weeks before the vote.

"Well, I'm really undecided at this point," Haines replied.

Haines may be undecided, but his voice won't go unheard.

For the first time the mock election was assisted by Mount Tamalpais College, the accredited school that helps people incarcerated in San Quentin earn an Associate of Arts degree.

"You can close them behind walls, but there are other ways for their voices to be heard," said Amy Jamgochian, Chief Academic Officer at the college.

Jamgochian's class helped create the ballots sent to the more than 3,200 people incarcerated at the facility.

"What do you say to the people who say, I don't want to hear from those incarcerated voices. I don't care what they have to say?" asked Glover.

"What that means for America is that we have this vast swath of the population that no one's hearing from that is not represented in elections," said Jamgochian. "The U.S. has something to gain from hearing from incarcerated people."

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Mount Tamalpais College shared the results of the mock election with ABC7 News:

• 341 prisoners at San Quentin returned their ballot for counting-that's about a 10% participation rate
• 57% voted for Vice President Kamala Harris for president while 28% voted for former President Donald Trump
• Third party candidates RFK Jr. and Jill Stein both received 2% of the vote

Of the other races on the ballot, Democrat Adam Schiff beat out Republican Steve Garvey in the race for senate in the mock vote by 13 points - with the majority (46%) not voting in the race at all.

Prop 6 that would end involuntary servitude in prisons won with 77% of the vote and Prop 36 that would increase punishments for people of certain drug or theft crimes was voted down with 57% voting "no".

"As somebody who's been incarcerated his whole adult life. I've never had a chance to vote in society," said Jessie Milo.

For people like Milo, this mock vote means engaging with the community you still care deeply about, even if you aren't physically a part of it.

"So when we have a mock election, I imagine myself in the free world and I imagine my vote counting. And so it's really cathartic that I get to express myself," said Milo.

It's a feeling shared with many who turned in their mock ballot writing things like, "I want to vote because we matter too," and "my vote should be just as important as anyone else's - I am an American."'

The Ella Baker Center for Human Rights helped educate prisoners on bills and ballot initiatives that affect them.

"If they're curious about a bill or ballot initiative, we'll send them the actual language so they can be as informed as possible," said James King, Co-Director of Programs at the Ella Baker Center.

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King was once incarcerated at San Quentin, and is now supporting civic engagement from the outside.

"If they need the physical address of a legislator in Sacramento, then we can make sure that they can connect with them," he added.

That makes all the difference in preparing these men for an eventual homecoming.

"Growing up in the community you learn violence as a form of communication. So once you take violence out of your life, you kind of feel powerless," said Milo. "Civic engagement gave me my voice back."

A voice, but not a vote in our increasingly divided democracy.

In California, people in County Jails awaiting trial do have the right to vote though many people don't have access to a polling place.

In 2023, a proposal to give prisoners serving a felony sentence the right to vote - like the men you heard in the story-failed to gain enough support in Sacramento.