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CTyankee

(63,912 posts)
Fri Aug 25, 2017, 04:55 PM Aug 2017

How are the developmentally disabled able to vote?

We have a home for developmentally disabled people in my neighborhood. Another resident and I were wondering how they voted (if they did). Do staff at the home give them some pointers in simple terms about the voting process? Who the candidates are and what they stand for? I don't think the staff would be able to go into the voting booth with them. But if they are citizens they have a right to vote.

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How are the developmentally disabled able to vote? (Original Post) CTyankee Aug 2017 OP
People can assist you in the voting booth Lee-Lee Aug 2017 #1
My husband works the polls every election as a volunteer. He would probably know, CTyankee Aug 2017 #3
Many cities have Centers for Independent Living that serve the area. blogslut Aug 2017 #2
My son who is autistic has voted since was 18 kimbutgar Aug 2017 #4
sounds like a good solution. CTyankee Aug 2017 #5
 

Lee-Lee

(6,324 posts)
1. People can assist you in the voting booth
Fri Aug 25, 2017, 04:58 PM
Aug 2017

It's actually been a controversy more than once in places where they have taken people from group homes to vote who clearly didn't possess the ability to understand what they were doing.

Where do you cross the line from exercising a right to someone using them to cast a vote the way the "helper" thinks they should vote? I don't know, but I would rather err on the side of not disenfranchising anyone.

CTyankee

(63,912 posts)
3. My husband works the polls every election as a volunteer. He would probably know,
Fri Aug 25, 2017, 05:20 PM
Aug 2017

now that I think about it.

blogslut

(38,016 posts)
2. Many cities have Centers for Independent Living that serve the area.
Fri Aug 25, 2017, 05:01 PM
Aug 2017

They provide classes, transportation and guidance for an array of modern-life situations.

kimbutgar

(21,188 posts)
4. My son who is autistic has voted since was 18
Fri Aug 25, 2017, 05:34 PM
Aug 2017

I got him registered for an absentee ballot. I save all the mailers I get and we go over them together. Then I read him the description in the voters phamplet and discuss how to vote. I showed him a sample ballot and how to fill out. He's voted in every election now. The last he looked over the mailers and voters into book and filled out his own ballot. A couple of the ones he needed more information and asked me how I was going to vote.

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