New target for election deniers

With weeks until the midterms, right-wing groups led by the Election Integrity Network are targeting nursing homes, claiming without evidence that left-wing organizations commit voter fraud there.

Cleta Mitchell's unproven claim

Election Integrity Network founder Cleta Mitchell cited a 2020 Wisconsin case where a sheriff alleged eight residents had votes filled out for them. The Wisconsin Election Commission rejected those claims.

“These left-wing groups go into the nursing homes, and they go into the group homes, and they basically steal the votes of these most vulnerable.”

Recruiting followers to investigate

Mitchell's group urges followers to download a toolkit and email or call nursing homes in their area. The network created social media images reinforcing the idea of widespread nursing home voter fraud.

CMS removes voting assistance guidance

In July, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services removed guidance allowing nursing home staff to help residents vote by mail or transport them to polling locations, replacing it with prosecution threats.

Senators oppose the new rules

In August, senators led by Elizabeth Warren and Alex Padilla wrote to CMS that the new rules would disenfranchise the country's two million nursing home residents rather than protect them.

“CMS issued a memo that appears to be an attempt to intimidate nursing home staff from assisting residents in the voting process.”

Project Civica launches similar effort

Another election denial group, New York-based Project Civica, launched a campaign called Adopt a Care Facility, repeating voter fraud claims and citing cases of forged absentee applications.