Macon County Jail inmates Christopher O’Bitts and Phillip Nix have lost some of their freedoms, but not the freedom to vote.

The two inmates are voting in the Nov. 4 presidential election via absentee ballot, and they spoke with The Smoky Mountain News at the jail last week.

Nix is in jail for a second DUI and O’Bitts for violating his probation. O’Bitts said he was put on probation following charges of breaking and entering and larceny. O’Bitt’s violated the probation by going to Florida without telling anyone, he said.

O’Bitts said he has never been interested in politics until this election because his brother joined the Army.

“I definitely want to put my vote in for someone to do better than Bush,” O’Bitts said.

Nix, 36, and O’Bitts, 21, said they will both vote for Obama.

“I didn’t want another Republican in office,” Nix said. “They’ve about broke us.”

Nix added that the $700 billion allocated by Congress to bail out banks could have been given to the taxpayers.

The inmates said they appreciate Macon County Jail allowing them the opportunity to vote.

“I think it’s a great idea,” O’Bitts said. “It’s not like we killed anyone. I think we should be able to vote.”

O’Bitts added, “I’m not a felon yet.”

Nix replied, “Me neither.”

Macon County Sheriff Robbie Holland said his office is not legally obligated to give inmates an opportunity vote, but he said he likes doing it.

“I think everyone should have the opportunity to vote,” Holland said. “It’s an important part of society.”

The sheriff added that inmates in jail are not necessarily guilty of a crime.

North Carolina State Board of Elections General Counsel in Raleigh Don Wright agreed that there is nothing in the law that says inmates must be given the opportunity to vote.

On a side note, Wright said people convicted of felonies can have their voting rights restored once they have completed all the terms of their sentence, including probation and restitution

Jackson County Sheriff Jimmy Ashe also said he gives his inmates an opportunity to vote with an absentee ballot.

“If you are awaiting trial you should have the right to vote, absolutely,” Ashe said. “The right to vote — everybody should exercise it.”

Inmate O’Bitts said he talked to his mother about the election, and she told him Obama is the best choice.

For Nix the most important issue in the election is the economy. Nix does construction work in Highlands and was arrested for his DUI when he went through a roadblock on the way home to Rabun County, Ga.

“If the rich man isn’t spending money, then the poor pan man isn’t making any,” said Nix.

In jail there isn’t an opportunity to watch the presidential debates because what is watched on TV is decided by a vote of the inmates, O’Bitts said. He said the other inmates just want to watch “movies and shows.”

Nix said he misses getting up in the morning at his house and having some coffee and watching the news.

O’Bitts said he doesn’t even bother bringing up the debates as something to watch on TV, because the other inmates would laugh.

As far as discussing the election in jail with the other inmates, Nix said there isn’t much talk. He said some people will make jokes about the candidates, but there is never serious conversation.

Or the other inmates may have a negative attitude on how the country is being run, Nix said. “They’ll say ‘the country went to hell anyway. I don’t want to be a part of it.”’

But Nix said if people don’t vote they don’t have the right to complain about the country’s situation, because they are not making a difference.

This is the first election O’Bitts has voted in, and he is happy he is not a felon.

“I could lose the right to vote,” he said.

Asked why he agreed to do the interview with the newspaper, O’Bitts said, “To get out (of the cell).”

(To comment on this story email josh@smokymountainnews.com.)