What are your views on the mentally handicapped and voting?

Question

On a recent radio program it was stated that mentally handicapped persons are allowed to vote under the condition that they are accompanied by a "chaperon" Who is to say that this chaperon is not telling these individuals who to vote for and making the decision for them? Would this not be the same as the "chaperon" voting twice? Is this a fair practice?

Answer 1

Well, if we can have a mentally handicapped person in the white house, I guess they have the right to vote also.

But seriously, where would they draw the line? You are totally right that the chaperon would be manipulating the voter. A neighbor of mine used to drive his 95 year old mother to vote, and she didn't even know her son's name anymore. He would tell her who to vote for. Gotta love Republican zealots.

Answer 2

I think they have a right to vote if they want to and are able to understand what they are doing but there are no tests for that.

A friends' sons (2 men in their 40's) used to vote until she felt she was just telling them who to vote for too. But then again another friend lets her pastor (he stands up in church) tell her who to vote for; that was why she voted for Bush twice and she lost her job twice since Bush has been in office as I projected.

Answer 3

you got a point there...news  http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080224/ap_o...

Answer 4

Don't we have enough idiots voting already?

Answer 5

Well personally i think that all people have the right to vote. Also, whats the difference between an 18 year old voting, and a mentally handicapped 40 year old, when neither of them know who Ralph Nader is... P.S. Dont vote for him plz that was just a quick name drop.. here I'll use Barak Obama.

Answer 6

I think everyone should have to pass a test on government and politics before being given a voter card. Maybe it would end people voting for the most attractive candidate. Fact is most Americans are too uneducated or stupid to vote. The founding fathers never intended for everyone to vote. This has been the most successful country on Earth for 230 years why the h**l do Liberals want to try and change it. "Ask not what your country can do for you ask what you can do for your country."

Answer 7

If someone is MENTALLY handicapped to the point that they need a chaperon, are they making their own informed decision?  That's the question I would ask.  If they are lucid enough to make an informed decision and vote, then why can't they simply vote on their own with the assistance of a poll worker?  Aren't they there to help?

Answer 8

Most Americans are mentally handicapped when it comes to voting. Why else would we have Democrats and Republicans? The 2 party system is completely dysfunctional but only 2% of Americans realize that.

Ron Paul 2008, FTW!

Answer 9

Taxpaying citizens with valid voter ID should only be allowed to vote, seeing as we foot the bills for virtually everything in this country.

Answer 10

George Bush has 'advisers' to tell him how to vote so it won't be a problem for him at least.

How can you tell if an American is 'normal' anyway?

Answer 11

even liberals have the righht to vote

so I don't hold any grudges against them for voting

although I don't like their choices

and btw some folks really are mentally hadicapped (they should be allowed to vote also) and its not good to lump them in with the liberals

thats just mean

Answer 12

You quit reading too soon!

If you had read further, you would have read that a "chaperon" can NOT enter the voting booth to assist a voter. Only a poll worker can. And the poll worker is not supposed to influence the vote... he/she can only advice on the "technical voting issues" (is the ballot filled out correctly, the right button pressed, etc.)

Once the curtain closes in the voting booth, you can't be sure, but that is the way it is SUPPOSED to work!

Answer 13

I didn't know there was a check off box on that subject on a voter registration card