How can people receiving care and busy caregivers vote? | Monex 100-Year Life Design | Manekuri Monex Securities' investment information and media useful for money.

July 20th is the voting day for the House of Councillors election. I believe there are people who want to vote as much as possible, even if they have become elderly and require care, or if they have developed dementia. Additionally, there may be those who have given up on voting due to caring for parents who live far away.

This time, we will introduce ways for elderly people who have physical disabilities and are receiving care, as well as caregivers who cannot go to polling places due to caring for their parents, to vote.

People with disabilities or dementia can vote

First, let's talk about how the person receiving care (the care recipient) votes. There are four methods as follows.

1. Use the "Voting Support Card" at the polling place.

Even if your body is disabled, you can vote in elections. Additionally, caregivers can accompany you to the polling place. It is necessary to consider how to ensure that the caregiver does not know who the voter voted for or which party they supported. Let's check with the polling place in each municipality about how far caregivers can accompany you.

If you have hearing or visual impairments and find it difficult to communicate with words or text, you can hand a "Voting Assistance Card" to the staff at the polling station if you need some assistance when voting. This card may be sent along with the polling station ticket, or it may be available at the polling station. Some local governments also allow you to download it in advance from their websites, so let's check the possible ways to obtain it.

The card includes options such as having someone write the ballot on your behalf, reading out the names of the candidates, and being guided through verbal prompts, as well as using a communication board (which has illustrations of issues related to voting, allowing you to point and communicate). If there is anything else you would like support with, please write that down as well.

2. Apply for postal voting (home voting)

Among those who have a disability certificate or a war injury disability certificate, individuals with severe disabilities or those who have been certified as requiring care level 5 can utilize the mail-in voting system (home voting) by post.

In order to utilize the system, it is necessary to apply in advance to the election management committee to receive the "Postal Voting Certificate." Additionally, those who are eligible to use postal voting and have severe upper limb or visual disabilities that require assistance in writing can use the "Proxy Writing" system. In that case, prior application is also required.

3. Conduct absentee voting at hospitals and nursing care facilities.

People who are hospitalized or residing in care facilities such as hospitals or nursing homes designated by the election management committees of the prefectures can cast absentee votes within those facilities. Each prefecture's website has a list of the eligible hospitals and facilities. For specific procedures regarding absentee voting, it is advisable to check with the staff of each hospital or facility well in advance.

4. If a person with dementia wants to vote in an election

Even if a person has dementia, voting is possible if their intent can be confirmed. However, there is no method for family members, who are caregivers, to vote on their behalf.

I was the legal guardian of my grandmother who has dementia. A legal guardian plays a role in supporting the property and personal care of individuals who have diminished capacity due to dementia or intellectual disabilities, and is appointed by the family court.

The year 2013, when I was a legal guardian, was also the year my grandmother, who was the adult under guardianship, regained her voting rights due to legal reforms.

When I asked my grandmother if there were any political parties or candidates she was interested in, she found it difficult to express her opinion and said she didn’t know, so she didn’t vote. Now, I am taking care of my mother who has dementia, but since I cannot understand her wishes, she is not exercising her right to vote.

Absentee Voting for Those Who Are Away, Such as in Caregiving Situations

Next, let's discuss the voting methods for those who are caring for family members at a location away from the designated polling place.

Living in Tokyo, I have been providing long-distance care to Iwate for over 12 years, and there are times when I am in Iwate, where the care is provided, on election day. During such times, I utilize early voting for those who cannot go to the polling place on election day due to work or leisure.

However, at one point, I suddenly had to take care of my family at home during the early voting period and on the voting day of the district mayoral election. So, I researched ways to vote in Iwate and utilized absentee voting.

Absentee voting is a system that allows individuals who are registered at a polling place but are staying in a different municipality due to work, travel, or caregiving during the election period to cast their votes at the election management committee of the municipality where they are staying.

I requested an absentee ballot from the "Pittari Service" of the My Number Portal, which serves as an online window for administrative procedures, and a letter pack arrived at my designated home in Iwate.

The letter pack contained a list of candidate names, a ballot, and an envelope. The process involves taking all of those items to the Election Management Committee located in the Morioka City Hall to cast your vote, and then mailing that ballot to the Election Management Committee in Tokyo.

When I entered the room with the election management committee, there were dividers on the desk similar to those at polling places, and the staff took out the ballot papers from a letter pack for me.

I first placed the ballot with the candidate's name written on it into an inner envelope, then into an outer envelope, sealed it, and handed it to the person in charge, completing the voting.

When using absentee voting, first check whether you can receive mail at your location, such as on a business trip or vacation. Additionally, it may take time to receive or send back the ballot by mail, so it is recommended to start the procedure early.