State election official: People with dementia may vote in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern

People with dementia will be allowed to vote in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern’s state election on Sept. 20, state election official Christian Boden said. The key condition is that they must be able to express their intention.

“The person with dementia must be able to express a declaration of intent,” Boden said in a forum on NDR 1 Radio MV. If a person can no longer do that, nobody should pressure them to vote. No other person, including a guardian or caregiver, may cast the ballot for them.

“

The person with dementia must be able to express a declaration of intent.

Physical assistance remains possible. Someone who cannot fill out a ballot because of a physical limitation may receive help, but the ballot must reflect the voter’s wishes. “According to their will, that is the important thing,” Boden said. He added that a person in a coma could not vote.

“

According to their will, that is the important thing.

Postal voting assistance carries an additional legal requirement. The person helping must submit a sworn declaration confirming that the ballot was completed according to the voter’s wishes. Boden warned that failing to do so could amount to a false sworn statement and election fraud, punishable by up to five years in prison or a fine.

Several listeners also told the forum they had not received their election notifications. One caller said an entire street was affected. Boden advised residents to contact their local election authority, saying the notifications should have been sent by the end of August.

“

And if you do not do that, you are committing a crime. That is a false sworn declaration, and it is election fraud.