With weeks to go before the midterms, election denial groups are focusing on nursing homes, according to WIRED. The Election Integrity Network, founded by Cleta Mitchell, has urged followers to contact and question care facilities, claiming that left-wing organizations are committing voter fraud among vulnerable residents. Mitchell cited a 2020 Wisconsin case that was rejected by the state election commission, and her assertion that it cost Donald Trump the election is contradicted by his 20,000-vote loss in the state.
The push has been amplified by a July memo from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) that removed prior guidance on helping residents vote and replaced it with threats of prosecution for coercion. The memo cited allegations of rights violations, but none have led to proven fraud cases. In August, senators including Elizabeth Warren and Alex Padilla criticized the change as an attempt to intimidate staff and disenfranchise residents.
Other groups are running similar efforts, such as Project Civicia's 'Adopt a Care Facility' campaign. Its president told WIRED the group does not presume wrongdoing by facilities but raised questions about elderly residents registering to vote shortly before elections. The source does not provide evidence that any of these claims have been substantiated, and the groups did not respond to requests for comment.