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Business News
PITTSBURG —
Some people, because of illness or physical infirmity, aren’t able to make it to the polls. However, this year the polls went to some of them.
“We call this mobile polling,” said Don Pyle, Crawford County clerk. “Not this Legislature, but the previous one, paved the way for this and some guidelines were developed. We thought we’d at least like to try it, to help people vote and vote their wishes.”
Nursing homes and assisted living facilities throughout Crawford County were given the opportunity to participate in mobile polling.
“Three of them chose to take part in the primary, and six in the election,” Pyle said.
Participating facilities were Sunset Manor, Medicalodge, Via Christi Village, Vintage Place, Golden Living Center and Heritage Nursing Home.
Joe Beauchamp and Sylvia Hines, who had worked in traditional polling places, received some special training for the program.
“They were not to coach or influence the voter in any way,” Pyle said. “We have to be sure that the voters make their own choices.”
The two, along with Charli Stroud from the County Clerk’s Office, visited the facilities, at times convenient for the residents and staff.
“There were those facility residents who couldn’t read the ballots, so we read them to them, and then they told us how to mark their ballots,” Beauchamp said. “I was impressed by these people. Some of them who appeared to be very frail knew more about the issues and candidates than we did.”
“I’d say we had a pretty good turnout,” Pyle said. “I’m not sure of the exact numbers, but probably around 100 people voted in this program.”
Now, he said, this mobile polling program will be discussed and evaluated.
“We need to see if we’re doing as much good with it as we want to do,” he said.
Beauchamp, however, thinks it’s a fine program.
“It’s so important for these people to still feel part of the community,” he said.
Patients at Via Christi Hospital also had the opportunity to vote from their beds.
“I spoke with several family members in the past couple of days who were worried their loved ones were going to miss voting in the general election,” said Michael Hayslip, Via Christi director of community relations.
“We assured them no such thing would happen while under our care.”
Kelly Fuchs, Via Christi director of inpatient care, went from room to room to see which patients wanted to vote but would not be able to visit a polling place.
Through cooperation with the Cherokee and Crawford County Clerks’ offices, the hospital made sure that eligible voters were delivered ballots, and that those ballots made it to the appropriate courthouses in time for their votes to count. A total of 22 patients chose to vote in this manner.
“The county clerks’ offices have made this happen for our patients,” Hayslip said. “We all know voting is a right, not a privilege. Our goal was to make sure that illness or injury did not infringe upon that right.”
Some people, because of illness or physical infirmity, aren’t able to make it to the polls. However, this year the polls went to some of them.
“We call this mobile polling,” said Don Pyle, Crawford County clerk. “Not this Legislature, but the previous one, paved the way for this and some guidelines were developed. We thought we’d at least like to try it, to help people vote and vote their wishes.”
Nursing homes and assisted living facilities throughout Crawford County were given the opportunity to participate in mobile polling.
“Three of them chose to take part in the primary, and six in the election,” Pyle said.
Participating facilities were Sunset Manor, Medicalodge, Via Christi Village, Vintage Place, Golden Living Center and Heritage Nursing Home.
Joe Beauchamp and Sylvia Hines, who had worked in traditional polling places, received some special training for the program.
“They were not to coach or influence the voter in any way,” Pyle said. “We have to be sure that the voters make their own choices.”
The two, along with Charli Stroud from the County Clerk’s Office, visited the facilities, at times convenient for the residents and staff.
“There were those facility residents who couldn’t read the ballots, so we read them to them, and then they told us how to mark their ballots,” Beauchamp said. “I was impressed by these people. Some of them who appeared to be very frail knew more about the issues and candidates than we did.”
“I’d say we had a pretty good turnout,” Pyle said. “I’m not sure of the exact numbers, but probably around 100 people voted in this program.”
Now, he said, this mobile polling program will be discussed and evaluated.
“We need to see if we’re doing as much good with it as we want to do,” he said.
Beauchamp, however, thinks it’s a fine program.
“It’s so important for these people to still feel part of the community,” he said.
Patients at Via Christi Hospital also had the opportunity to vote from their beds.
“I spoke with several family members in the past couple of days who were worried their loved ones were going to miss voting in the general election,” said Michael Hayslip, Via Christi director of community relations.
“We assured them no such thing would happen while under our care.”
Kelly Fuchs, Via Christi director of inpatient care, went from room to room to see which patients wanted to vote but would not be able to visit a polling place.
Through cooperation with the Cherokee and Crawford County Clerks’ offices, the hospital made sure that eligible voters were delivered ballots, and that those ballots made it to the appropriate courthouses in time for their votes to count. A total of 22 patients chose to vote in this manner.
“The county clerks’ offices have made this happen for our patients,” Hayslip said. “We all know voting is a right, not a privilege. Our goal was to make sure that illness or injury did not infringe upon that right.”
