D.13 Prisoner Voting

Policy Standard

• Prisoners who are entitled to vote at General Elections including Referendums are provided with the opportunity to vote.

Performance Standards

1. Prisoners eligible to vote are provided with the means and opportunity to vote.
2. Liaison is undertaken with local Returning Officers to arrange for voting facilities to be provided.
3. Electoral staff and any accompanying scrutineers are provided with suitable facilities to enable them to carry out their functions.
4. Electoral staff and scrutineers are aware of and comply with all necessary security requirements of the prison.
5. Party Political Manifestos / Policy Materials delivered to prisons are readily available to prisoners.
6. Prisoners are permitted to see or hear party political broadcasts that take place during each prison's normal radio or television listening / viewing hours.
7. Political candidates are not permitted to conduct meetings with prisoners, or to canvas individual prisoners.
8. Members of Parliament who visit prisons will, if necessary, be reminded of the provisions of section 161 of the Corrections Act 2004.