Pew Charitable Trusts Reports on Guardianship and Voter Disenfranchisement

On March 21, 2018, Pew Charitable Trusts published an in-depth article on the issue of voting rights for people with disabilities under guardianship laws. According to the article, 1.5 million people are under guardianship nationwide, and in 39 states and Washington, D.C., laws allow judges to strip voting rights from those who are determined to be “incapacitated” or “incompetent.” However, there is no set standard to determine who can vote and who is deemed unable to do so. This article discusses the disenfranchisement of these citizens and efforts to create clear standards and restore voting rights to thousands of people with disabilities who understand and wish to participate in the voting process.