Do people lose their right to vote if they suffer from dementia or another cognitive impairment?
No. People with cognitive impairments are eligible to vote, except in the following circumstances: • Citizens who have been placed under a court-ordered guardianship in which the court has specifically revoked voting rights are not allowed to vote • Citizens ruled legally incompetent by a court of law are not allowed to vote However, in order to vote, persons with cognitive impairments must be able to mark their ballots or be able to indicate their choices to a person assisting them in marking their ballots. It is illegal for a person assisting a voter to attempt to influence the voter’s choices or to mark a ballot if the voter cannot communicate his or her wishes. For more information, please see the page on voting rights for citizens under guardianship.
