CMS Rescission of Nursing Home Voting Guidance Spurs Resident Fears
In July, CMS rescinded prior guidance that affirmed nursing home residents' right to vote and highlighted concerns about voter fraud tied to mail-in ballots in facilities, according to this report. Elder law experts, including Syracuse University professor Nina Kohn, say the underlying Nursing Home Reform Act of 1987 still requires facilities to help residents exercise voting rights, but warn the memo's language could chill staff from assisting residents for fear of legal exposure. The story profiles a Texas mother and daughter, both nursing home residents with multiple sclerosis, who shifted from mail to in-person voting this year amid worries about ID requirements, ballot rejection and intimidation. Disability advocates note residents face added barriers such as signature-matching mismatches and lack of photo ID, which disproportionately affect voters with disabilities.