My father-in-law has similar problem. He used to vote. However, his caregiver and my hubby think that he does not need to vote. He probably has some ballot in the house, but he won't be able to vote alone in the booth. He  cannot understand CNN anymore so he is not really aware of what is going on politically. He does not even know if some bad news happened in his area or far away. Even though we know whom he would vote for. Strictly speaking, he should not vote because his mind is not there anymore. His friend said he should vote but she has no idea how far his mind has gone.

In fact, my FIL felt relieved when my husband told him he does not have to vote. You see, he has trouble to select among things, not to mention the election!

If your Dad does not know anyone annd any news anymore, he should not bother to vote. I saw that the ballot allows someone else to sign for him indicating the reason. But I think your Mom can just vote for herself.

Just my 2 cents,

Nina

YES as a care giver of my husband who is also a diabled verteran that faught twice in Vietnam for his country and has suffered so many lossess as a result of that, he spent 20 years in the military and watches the news. He has some memory problem and gets confused a lot but on some things he is still the intelligent man I married. An alzheimers patient loses so much, but if they can still remember their name ss# and address why not. A lot of people are living under the wrong impression these people have difficulties in areas but in others they still have thoughts and opinions who are we as a society to say what they can and can't do. Their primary care giver is the only one that can answer this question. In some ways alzheimers helps in that they don't do what we do and garble everything together, I am not sure who to vote for and I don't have alzheimers but my husband that does have it and isn't sure if the food he is eating he likes or not can hold a political discussion with you if you talk to him of a morning. This disease (Alzheimers) is the most confusing and perplexing thing I have ever encountered, just when you think you have it figured out where they are at and what stage they are in they suprise you and say or do something so totally normal and intelligent you stop and question did the doctoe make a mistake maybe he dosen't have it but then 12:00 comes and the lost look in his eyes are back and you know that was just a short reprieve. Don't sell these patients short, they still have wants and needs and society is trying to say lets just warehouse them well not this one, he still is in there just hard to find some times and I will fight to the end for those times and refuse to let anyone take anything else from him. If this man who has given his legs his heart to his country dosen't have the right to vote who does? Connie

I think it depends on the person. If this patient is very  strongly a Republican and the caregiver knows for sure, then he/she can write the ballot for the patient and mail it out. However, the hard question is whom would he vote for?
My FIL has changed his mind twice. First McCain because he thought Palin was an alien or something interesting, and then he said Obama because the caregiver likes Obama. He does not know what he wants anymore. How can I say for sure whom he wants? It also confused him.

Maybe as a veteran or soldier or politician, some patients can vote given strong wish on that. But we are not sure whom my FIL wants to vote for anymore.

Nina

Mom gets to vote twice!