RNC Demands Probe into Hospital Voter Registration by Partisan Group

The Republican National Committee (RNC) is calling for a thorough investigation into a Democratic-leaning organization’s efforts to register hospital patients to vote.

At a Glance

The RNC sent letters to officials in six swing states urging scrutiny of Vot-ER, a nonprofit led by a former Kamala Harris staffer.
The RNC accuses Vot-ER of “weaponizing the healthcare system” and threatening election integrity.
Concerns about coercion have been raised, particularly with vulnerable patients in hospitals.
Vot-ER is already under a congressional probe regarding illegal immigrant voter registration.

Concerns Over Voter Registration in Hospitals

The Republican National Committee (RNC) has issued statements to election officials in six swing states urging an investigation into Vot-ER, a nonprofit organization that assists doctors in registering patients to vote. This request focuses on ensuring that the electoral process remains fair and free from partisan influence, particularly within the delicate context of hospitals.

The RNC claims that Vot-ER is “weaponizing the healthcare system” to further partisan goals, thereby threatening election integrity. The party fears that vulnerable patients, especially those in psychiatric wards or neonatal intensive care units, could feel pressured to register or even to support a particular candidate in state and local elections to receive proper medical care.

These concerns are driven not only by patient well-being but also by the ethics surrounding voter registration in environments where patients may not be in the best psychological or physical condition to make such decisions. Medical ethicists and healthcare workers are also cautious, pointing out the risk of coercion and questioning the capacity of some patients to provide genuine consent.

Background and Organizational Ties

Vot-ER was established by Dr. Alister Martin, an emergency room physician affiliated with Harvard Medical School. Since its inception, Vot-ER has empowered over 50,000 doctors to engage in voter registration activities within healthcare settings. Their toolkits usually include something as simple as a badge QR code meant to facilitate online voter registration with patients.

Vot-ER targets Democratic-leaning demographics, focusing their efforts on clinics in majority-minority areas and on patients under 24. Support from various healthcare organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Nurses Association, indicates a concerted effort to integrate voter registration into the healthcare system. While such organizations argue this will improve community engagement, critics contend that it politicizes patient care.

I’ve seen enough: Rep. Summer Lee (D) defeats Bhavini Patel (D) in the #PA12 Dem primary.

— Dave Wasserman (@Redistrict) April 24, 2024

Ethical and Legal Concerns

Several high-profile concerns have been flagged by conservative and bipartisan entities alike regarding the methods and ethics upheld by Vot-ER. Reports suggest that some hospitals register psychiatric inpatients to vote as part of therapeutic activities, but the ethics of these practices are hotly debated. Psychiatric experts, such as Sally Satel of Yale Medical School, argue that such initiatives are inappropriate within sensitive medical settings.

“It is not difficult to imagine how a patient could feel pressured to register to vote or support a certain candidate to receive medical care,” read one of the letters.

On the legislative front, conservative activists and lawmakers are making moves to solidify election integrity through state laws and initiatives. These actions include scrutinizing state voter lists for errors and removing ineligible voters, with a particular focus on minority and younger voters. Over 80,000 challenges have been filed in Georgia, resulting in the removal of around 12,000 voters. Officials often argue these challenges identify administrative errors, not fraud. However, there’s growing debate surrounding the potential for voter disenfranchisement.