Prison-Based Gerrymandering (H 5283, S 0147)

When it comes to drawing new voting lines, any individuals incarcerated at the ACI in Cranston on the day the census worker comes through are counted as living at the ACI – including individuals awaiting trial or serving misdemeanor sentences and who, under state law, remain entitled to vote, but only as residents of their home location, not the ACI.  They are thus “represented” by legislators they cannot even vote for (or against). As a result, Cranston is overrepresented in the General Assembly while the districts from where the prisoners hail are underrepresented.  In fact, under the redistricting plan adopted last year, about 15% of House District 20 is comprised of voters who cannot vote in Cranston.  Legislation aimed to restore representation in Rhode Island to “one person, one vote” by requiring, for the purposes of redistricting, prisoners to be identified as living at their last known address.  The ACLU of RI testified in support of this legislation before the Senate and House Judiciary committees. The committees took no vote on the legislation.