Scores of people have reached out to Lovin Malta to raise concerns over how family members who are dementia patients at St Vincent De Paul were taken to vote as part of early voting in the general election without their consent or knowledge.

This comes after Peppi Azzopardi raised concerns over the practice after his mother, a dementia patient at the government care home, was taken to vote.

Patients were reportedly cleared to vote by doctors at the state care home and were shown images of candidates before making their choice. However, family members have raised alarm bells as to whether their relatives are of sound mind to cast their ballot. 

“It would have been better if they showed my parent a photo of their children and asked if they recognised any of them before they voted,” one person said.

Some of these dementia patients are not even allowed to sign documents without the consent of appointed guardians, which are mostly family members.

“They cannot even sign a document without our approval but yet they were taken to vote without any of us knowing,” said another.

One person who reached out to Lovin Malta had said that, unlike many others, they were told that an early vote would be taking place. They were concerned and reached out to candidates to see what could be done to prevent their parents from being pressured to vote in one way or another. 

None of their concerns were eased particularly after suggestions that patients would be made to vote in their respective wards. Unfortunately, no relatives were able to visit on the voting day and remain in the dark over the issue.

Similar claims have emerged on social media with one woman detailing how her mother was taken from Mater Dei Hospital to cast an early vote and none of the family was informed about it.

Dementia patients are allowed to vote in general elections. However, all patients at state hospitals are usually reviewed by a doctor prior to having their vote eligibility decided. Still, it is not clear whether family or guardian’s consent is required.

Persons can be declared ineligible to vote by the electoral commission, as according to Malta’s constitution.

Since voters cast their votes in private, it is impossible to as yet confirm whether or not any similar patients were pressured to vote for one particular political party or candidate.

If you have experienced anything similar, please reach out to [email protected]

What do you think of the issue?