The Smoky Mountain News (North Carolina) offers this report, which begins: “The General Assembly is considering a bill that could solve a Catch 22 in election law: how to legitimately help nursing home patients vote without creating a climate ripe for abuse. Currently, it is illegal for anyone other than a near relative to help a nursing home patient apply for a mail-in ballot or mark that ballot. The law was intended to prevent manipulation of nursing home patients who lack all their faculties. The problem, however, is that someone without a near relative to help them who wants to vote could be prevented from doing so. To solve the issue, the N.C. Board of Elections has asked the General Assembly to amend state election law. The law change would allow formal, multi-party teams to enter nursing homes and help patients vote. The teams, most likely volunteers from each party, would have to be trained and authorized by the county board of elections. The state board of elections would establish protocols for the teams to follow.” This sounds like an excellent idea.