He wouldn't be able to buy a pack of smokes either. But no one would be up in arms for him then. He would just have to get his shit together before its time to vote. I would help him do it. Drive him to the DMV, Vital Statistics and Polling place. But I wouldn't let him get out of it just because its easier to not require all that. There is to much at stake and its to easy to abuse. We need better protections than a paddle lock on the ballot box.

ETA: Or just have a dedicated group of fine upstanding and thoroughly checked out individuals go to peoples homes that might be in the position you described and issue them a ballot. With the number of ballots being tracked like they were gold.
I would be fine with it just to avoid a fraud like Obama getting reelected.