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LETTERS: V Aylett, G Cook, and O J Corrado Measures are needed to allow elderly inpatients to vote in general elections BMJ 1998; 316: 552 [Full text]

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Postal votes might be a solution

Anne-Louise Cunnington   (29 June 1999)

Postal votes might be a solution 29 June 1999
Anne-Louise Cunnington Send response to journal: Re: Postal votes might be a solution	We conducted a survey of all patients (n=90) who attended six geriatric day hospitals in the west of Scotland on Friday 7th of May, the day after the Scottish Parliamentary and Council Elections. They had a median Abbreviated Mental Test Score of 9, (out of a maximum of 10), and a median age of 77. Only 30% of patients voted, but 68% of those who did not vote expressed a desire to vote. They were highly motivated to do so, with 92% aware of the election and 81% holding a polling card. Answers to the question ‘Were there any factors, which stopped you voting?’ showed that 49% found that their lack of mobility or a lack of transport influenced their ability to vote. An American study has already shown that ‘self-assessment of health is significantly related to voting behaviour’ (1), and a British study showed that only 16.5% of geriatric inpatients voted at the last General election (2). Our study shows that the proportion of frail elderly people living in the community who vote is also low, and offers one explanation for the low turnout (55%) seen in this election. A modern democracy which purports to represent the entire population needs to make more effort to ensure that the political views of the elderly are heard. Postal votes seem an obvious and underused opportunity to improve this situation. Yours sincerely Anne-Louise Cunnington Lynsey Simpson Pamela Fraser Andy Watt Mark Barber Caroline Whitton Damien Reid Ian Reeves Scott Ramsay Pamela Crawford Brian McInnes Pat Beausang Tricia Moylan Jean Young West of Scotland Specialist Registrars in Geriatric and General Medicine C/O 27 Northland Drive Scotstoun Glasgow G14 9BE Competing Interest - None. References 1 Bazargan M, Kang TS, Bazargan S. A multivariate comparison of elderly African Americans and Caucasians voting behavior: how do social, health, psychological, and political variables effect their voting? Int J Aging Hum Dev 1991; 32(3): 181-98 2 Aylett V, Cook G, Corrado OJ. Measures are needed to allow elderly inpatients to vote in general elections. BMJ 1998 Feb 14;316:552 (14th February)