Far-Right Election Groups Are Now Targeting Nursing Homes

Access to voting assistance for nursing home residents is now more restricted.

Far-right groups, including the Election Integrity Network led by Cleta Mitchell, are targeting nursing homes with unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud. These organizations are urging their followers to contact and question care facilities, alleging that "left-wing groups" exploit vulnerable residents to cast fraudulent votes. Mitchell cited a debunked 2020 Wisconsin case as evidence, despite election officials rejecting the claims. The Election Integrity Network has created toolkits and social media content to promote this narrative, identifying "vulnerable residents" in competitive districts as potential targets. This effort aligns with a broader campaign by election deniers to erode trust in electoral processes. Concurrently, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a memo rescinding previous guidance that facilitated resident voting, replacing it with warnings of prosecution for staff and unsubstantiated allegations of rights violations. This change has drawn criticism from senators who argue it will disenfranchise nursing home residents.

The coordinated effort by groups like the Election Integrity Network and Project Civicia, amplified by a new CMS directive, signals a significant shift in how electoral integrity is being framed and contested. By focusing on nursing homes, these groups are exploiting perceived vulnerabilities within a demographic that often requires assistance to vote, leveraging unsubstantiated fraud claims to sow doubt. The CMS memo, by removing facilitating guidance and introducing punitive measures, creates a chilling effect on nursing home staff, potentially deterring them from providing necessary support, thereby disenfranchising residents.

This strategy represents a novel tactic in the broader election denial movement, moving beyond general claims of fraud to targeted operations within specific, often vulnerable, populations. The involvement of groups with direct or indirect ties to political figures, combined with regulatory changes from government agencies, suggests a potentially coordinated push to alter voting access and perception. Observers should watch how these campaigns influence voter turnout in long-term care facilities and whether legal challenges arise regarding the CMS memo or the activities of these election integrity groups.