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If you have a family member or friend who has a disability or limited mobility but is competent to vote, ask the person whether they still vote and whether they need help getting to the polls, voting at their long-term-care facility, or casting an absentee ballot. If the person needs help, offer your assistance. Signed, your friendly election official (poll worker)

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Jada, it depends on the local prosecutor. Where I live the prosecutor refuses to take on this (or most other crime). It is frustrating. I know of an instance elsewhere in which the elections staff knew a person who died so they were alert when an absentee ballot with a signature dated after her death arrived in the office.
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To those responding to my post about my brother. I did report it to my local election headquarters & they contacted the state election officials but he somehow got away with it anyways. It was during Covid so I’m sure they didn’t go around checking.
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In my state, voting is considered to be a special right that can be removed from a person who is found incompetent and placed under a guardianship but doesn't have to be removed from such a person.

"Declaration of incompetence to exercise certain rights. 1.
The court may, as part of a proceeding under s. 54.44 in which an
individual is found incompetent and a guardian is appointed, declare that the individual has incapacity to exercise one or more of
the following rights:
g. The right to register to vote or to vote in an election, if the
court finds that the individual is incapable of understanding the
objective of the elective process. Also, in accordance with s. 6.03
(3), any elector of a municipality may petition the circuit court for
a determination that an individual residing in the municipality is
incapable of understanding the objective of the elective process
and thereby ineligible to register to vote or to vote in an election.
This determination shall be made by the court in accordance with
the procedures specified in this paragraph. If a petition is filed
under this subd. 1. g., the finding of the court shall be limited to a
determination as to voting eligibility. The appointment of a
guardian is not required for an individual whose sole limitation is
ineligibility to vote. The determination of the court shall be communicated in writing by the clerk of court to the election official
or agency charged under s. 6.48, 6.92, 6.925, 6.93, or 7.52 (5)
with the responsibility for determining challenges to registration
and voting that may be directed against that elector. The determination may be reviewed as provided in s. 54.64 (2) and any subsequent determination of the court shall be likewise communicated
by the clerk of court."
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Even if a POA document listed voting, it would not be legal unless state election laws allowed it.
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There is nothing in a standard PoA document that mentions voting as one of the authorities -- maybe unless the principal adds it in themselves. Something to ponder. Only once did we get an absentee ballot for my MIL in LTC with memory impairment and moderate dementia. We described the candidates and what their platforms were. She asked how she voted in the past. We knew the actual answers so were able to tell her. In future years she did not even remember how to sign her own name, not even make and "X".
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Jada824, what your brother did was wrong on so many levels, yet sadly this happens ALL the time. It's called ballot harvesting and should be illegal in all 50 states but it's not.
I however as a poll observer as well, when I see such incidences do report them and fill out an official report so those votes can be reviewed by the proper authorities.
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Jada824: Yikes!
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My mother had full blown dementia in 2020. She didn’t even know who her family members were never mind who was running for president. My brother her poa filled out the ballot with his choices and had her sign it.
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I really don't think those who can no longer make informed decisions should be allowed to vote. It really does not make sense to me.
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You are correct, Geaton. I personally would be very cautious about assisting a person with casting a ballot if I thought the person lacked awareness of what voting is or who the candidates are. I've heard about situations like the one you described, and that makes me uncomfortable.
I'm thinking of people who have physical disabilities (temporary or permanent) or mild mental impairments or treatable mental illnesses who understand voting, know something about the candidates, and just need help with getting to a polling place or dropping off an absentee ballot.
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There is no competency bar for voting. Like with marriage, even a person with dementia can do it with no restrictions. I learned this when I found out that ballots were passed out in my MIL's LTC facility and she had memory impairment and moderate dementia and was sporting a "I Voted" sticker on her pjs when we arrived with an absentee ballot for her. Family and PoAs were not informed beforehand.
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