Local Patients Unexpectedly Hospitalized Are Able To Vote Absentee At Northern Westchester Hospital

MOUNT KISCO, N.Y. – Imagine being hospitalized on Election Day and unable to make it to the polls. In New York State, no formal process exists for unexpectedly hospitalized patients to vote—until now. 

Northwell Health’s VoteNorth program has transformed voting access at most of its hospitals, including at Northern Westchester Hospital and Phelps Hospital, allowing in-patients to exercise their right to vote even while receiving medical care.

Somers resident Michael Jones has always voted in every presidential election. This year he was unexpectedly hospitalized over the weekend with severe back pain and would not have been able to vote if not for the VoteNorth initiative. “The ability to actually cast your vote, from my personal perspective, is the one right that’s most important in our country,” Jones said. "The fact that I can still vote even though I’m laid up—that says it all right there.”

Vote North, a nonpartisan initiative dedicated to increasing voter access, highlights the critical need for hospital-based voter assistance programs, especially in states like New York where no official process exists for hospitalized patients to vote. Since 2018, Vote North has helped nearly 500 patients across Northwell Health facilities - the program started Lenox Hill Hospital in 2018 - to exercise their right to vote from their hospital beds.

Currently, many individuals hospitalized unexpectedly during election periods are effectively disenfranchised. Vote North addresses this gap by providing comprehensive assistance with absentee ballots. Dedicated volunteers, all Northern Westchester Hospital and Phelps Hospital Northwell Health employees passionate about patient care and civic engagement, work on their own time to:
• Request absentee ballots on behalf of patients.
• Assist patients in completing necessary forms.
• Deliver completed ballot requests to the county board of elections.
• Return ballots to patients for completion.
• Deliver completed ballots to polling stations.

“We believe all voices should be heard by exercising the right to vote," said Darol Bates, senior director, Patient & Customer Experience at Northern Westchester Hospital. "If someone finds themselves unexpectedly hospitalized, we are here to help.”

On Monday, Northwell's patient experience team will begin the two-day process to help hospitalized patients cast their ballots:
• Monday Morning (11/4): Patient rounders identify eligible patients, assist with absentee ballot applications, and send completed applications to the hospital headquarters.
• Monday Afternoon (11/4): Runners deliver applications to the Board of Elections and return with absentee ballots.
• Tuesday Morning (11/5): Rounders assist patients with completing their ballots.
• Tuesday Afternoon (11/5): Runners deliver completed ballots to the Board of Elections.

Since launching in 2018, VoteNorth has empowered nearly 500 patients to vote from their hospital beds. 

Northern Westchester Hospital (NWH), a member of Northwell Health, is a full-service 245-bed acute care hospital in Mount Kisco, N.Y.