By Joyce Lee
In 39 states and Washington, D.C., laws can strip the right to vote for people with mental disabilities, a Seattle Times article reported. But problematically, these laws are indiscriminately applied to those with Alzheimer’s disease, Down syndrome, schizophrenia, and more, which makes for a confusing legal landscape where people who might not yet have lost the capacity to choose their preferred candidates are restricted from voting for them.
According to the Spectrum Institute, an advocacy group for people with disabilities, tens of thousands every year lose the right to vote through guardianship proceedings. If they are judged “incapacitated” or “incompetent,” judges may take away voting rights in several states. The only states that don’t have similar laws are Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Maine, Michigan, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Vermont.