The South Dakota Association of Healthcare Organizations (SDAHO) is sharing a July 20, 2026, Quality, Safety & Oversight Special Alert Memorandum from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) regarding the voting rights of residents in long-term care (LTC) facilities.
The memorandum reminds nursing facilities and skilled nursing facilities of their existing responsibility to protect residents’ rights to participate—or choose not to participate—in the democratic process while complying with all applicable federal and state voting laws. CMS emphasizes that facilities must not interfere with, coerce, or improperly influence residents’ voting decisions.
The memorandum does not establish new regulatory requirements or revise the State Operations Manual. Instead, it reinforces existing resident rights and rescinds two previous CMS voting guidance memoranda issued in 2020 and 2024.
To view the full CMS Center for Clinical Standards and Quality/Quality and Safety Special Alert Memo click here.
