Your Election Plan for Helping Residents Vote
Older adults vote more than any other age group. But after moving into a senior living community, voting logistics can become more complicated. Updating a registration, requesting an absentee ballot, arranging transportation, or understanding state-specific rules can all create barriers.
Election Day is Tuesday, November 3. Many states already allow early voting, and some absentee deadlines are close. Here’s a nonpartisan guide to how communities can support residents who want to vote, without steering anyone’s choices.
Start with your state’s rules
Rules differ by state and by setting. For nursing homes, CMS has told providers they must support residents’ right to vote, including helping with absentee voting or transporting residents to polling places or ballot drop boxes. Assisted living and other settings are mostly governed by state law, so check yours.
Federal law adds another layer. Section 208 of the Voting Rights Act lets voters who need help because of a disability or inability to read choose who assists them, other than their employer, the employer’s agent, or a union officer. Some states still limit who can assist or how many ballots one person can return. Minnesota, for example, allows one person to drop off ballots for up to three voters. Call your county election office, and ask your legal counsel if anything is unclear.
Help with registration
Start by identifying residents who want to vote, then remove practical barriers one by one. That might mean updating an address after a move or checking that a registration is still active. ID rules in some states, especially those requiring unexpired IDs, can also make voting harder, so find out what your residents need to bring.
Resist deciding who is able to vote. Staff who assume a resident lacks capacity can end up unjustly limiting access for people who have the right to vote. Follow your state’s law and any guardianship orders, and send questions to your election office.
Support absentee ballots
Deadlines to request and return a ballot vary, and many states require it to arrive by Election Day.
Leave blank request forms in a common area if your state allows it.
Help residents who ask, whether with the forms, reading the ballot, or marking it, and let them choose who assists.
Check witness rules in advance. North Carolina, for instance, requires an absentee ballot to be witnessed by one person or a notary.
Get outgoing mail out promptly. Residents have the right to send and receive ballots by mail.
Keep a simple log of who has requested, received, and returned a ballot. Never record how anyone voted, and check whether your state requires a log of assistance.
Ask your county whether election officials will visit. Some states send officials to facilities with ballots, but residents shouldn’t be required to use those options.
Offer rides to the polls
For residents who prefer to vote in person, find out who wants to go and schedule rides. Early voting days, where available, give you more flexibility if plans change. Confirm the polling place’s address, hours, and accessibility. Some places offer curbside voting.
Send an accessible vehicle with a staff escort, and remind residents to bring ID. Offer the same ride to every resident who asks. Keep campaign materials out of community vehicles, and don’t discuss your own votes with residents on the way.
Stay nonpartisan
Share neutral information. Sample ballots and voter guides from your election office or nonpartisan groups work well.
Host candidate events evenly. Invite every candidate on the ballot, give equal time, and use a neutral moderator. Check with counsel first.
Respect the rules for your type of organization. Nonprofits can encourage voting on a nonpartisan basis, but must not support or oppose candidates. For-profit operators should hold to the same standard.
Protect privacy. A voter who gets help must still be able to communicate their own choices without being influenced by others. The goal is simple: help with access, not choices.
A simple timeline
By October 19: check deadlines, identify residents who want to vote, and request absentee ballots.
By October 26: arrange transportation, confirm witness or notary requirements, and return completed ballots.
By October 30: use a drop box or hand-deliver any ballots not yet returned.
November 2 & 3: send reminders, confirm accessible rides, and make sure everyone has the ID they need.
After the election: document what worked and what you'd do differently next time.
This guide provides general information only. Election laws vary by state, so consult your local election office and legal counsel about specific requirements.
