Have you ever wondered about the connection between voting and health care?
VOT-ER is a non-partisan organization whose mission is to educate the public about that relationship, stating that voting is “arguably the most important aspect of the political determinants of health.” It is supported by health care professionals, administrators, medical students, and voting advocates.
“The American Medical Association, the American College of Physicians, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recognize voting as a social determinant of health; their belief is that through civic engagement, tackling the root causes of public health outcomes” is more important than addressing just the symptoms.
According to The Pew Charitable Trust, 72 million eligible voters did not register to vote; of those, 62% were never asked to register. One VOT-ER goal that addresses this problem is the following: in a standard medical questionnaire, a patient is asked, “Do you smoke? Do you drink? Do you wear seatbelts?” VOT-ER would like to add to that, “Are you registered to vote?” thus beginning a necessary conversation.
One advantage of promoting voter awareness in the healthcare world is that spaces like healthcare facilities have been “encouraged to conduct voter registration activities since the 1993 Voter Registration Act, the same law that designated DMVs and state offices that provide public assistance as voter registration agencies.” Also, because patients input their own information in an opt-in fashion, this information is not subject to HIPAA regulations.
One final advantage is that all public healthcare institutions and public or private nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organizations can operate voter registration drives in a nonpartisan way, “without reference to any candidate or political party.”
VOT-ER believes that In every clinic and hospital across America, there’s untapped potential to strengthen our democracy.