COLORADO SPRINGS — With less than a week left until election day, senior living facilities in Colorado Springs are helping residents cast their ballots.
Out of the 1.5 million Coloradans who have already voted in November's election, the Secretary of State's Office reports that 16% are aged 75 years and older.
“The residents that do get their mail-in ballots, they’ll fill that out with their families and then I’ll collect them and we’ll take it down and drop it off for them cause a lot of them aren’t able to," said Pete Mafnas, Life and Enrichment Director at Winslow Court Senior Living in Colorado Springs.
Mafnas said out of the 110 residents at the facility, around 20 have voted so far. He said employees will drive residents to and from voting booths on election day if they want to vote in person. He emphasizes the importance of involving family members in the process, especially for seniors with memory loss.
“It is very important. It really is. We do get the families involved and in some cases we’ll sit with the residents and we’ll help them to complete the ballots," he said. “Ultimately it’s the families because they’ll come in and help."
The executive director of Lark Springs senior living facility in Colorado Springs said three out of its 67 residents with some form of memory loss decided to vote in November's election. The director said employees sit down with family members beforehand to make an election plan for each resident that wants to vote.
Sandy Kelly and Dwight Middleton, residents at Winslow Court, said they vote in every election.
“You vote what you think and what you feel," said Kelly. "It’s what you’re supposed to do and if you don’t vote keep your mouth shut!"
“If you want to be a part of this, you need to vote," said Middleton.
The Colorado Department of Human Services says it works with local election offices to help residents at the five state-run Veterans Community Living Centers across Colorado.
A spokesperson sent News5 the following statement about helping seniors vote:
"We encourage our residents to ask their families if they need help voting. We do not encourage our residents to ask staff if they need help voting nor do we encourage staff to proactively offer residents assistance in completing their ballots."
If you didn't have a chance to mail in your ballot, no need to worry. You can go to a voting polling center on Election Day or drop it off at the a ballot drop box.
For a list of drop box locations in your area and for information about the election, click here.
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