Oct. 13 – WILKES-BARRE – The 2024 election cycle is in its home stretch and many voters are still unsure who they will cast their precious votes for.
And not just for the president: all races matter and many are closely contested.
So I give credit to our state government for trying to help.
The state released some thought-provoking information this week.
For example, data shows that older voters are more likely to have mail-in ballots rejected due to errors. That’s why Commonwealth agencies are working together to provide older voters with reliable information about voting by mail.
Wait, what? “Reliable information?”
Well, there’s a brave mission.
Most voters are longing for November 6 – the day after the general election. That’s when all those political ads on our TVs will stop.
The majority of these ads are about one candidate telling us why we shouldn’t vote for his opponent. Voters might prefer that candidates tell us why they should vote for someone.
Back to that brave mission.
Pennsylvania Department of Aging (PDA) Secretary Jason Kavulich and the Pennsylvania Association of Area Agencies on Aging (P4A) welcomed Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt to a recent quarterly meeting of leaders from the 52 Area Agencies on Aging to promote voter education to be discussed among older adults. ahead of the November 5 general election.
“Older adults generally vote more often than any other age group, and the upcoming election is likely to be no different,” said Secretary Kavulich. “Mail ballots are essential to ensure every eligible voter can have their voice heard, but the process of completing and returning them can sometimes be confusing for older adults.”
State Department data from the April 2024 primary election showed that voters aged 70 and older returned 50% of all ballots cast, but accounted for 58% of rejected mail-in ballots due to errors on the return envelope.
Some of these errors included not including a date or signature or using an incorrect date.
Secretaries Kavulich and Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt discussed with the Area Agencies on Aging Leadership the need to educate older voters about the mail-in voting process to prevent such errors. Minister Schmidt noted that the State Department has redesigned the ballot envelopes with clearer instructions to clarify the process.
“The Shapiro administration and the State Department believe that every qualified voter deserves to have their vote counted,” Secretary Schmidt said. “The Department has made significant improvements to mail-in ballot materials to reduce the number of undated or incorrectly dated ballot envelopes that have resulted in ballots being rejected.”
The Department of Aging is working with the Department of State to educate older Pennsylvanians on how to properly fill out and submit their ballots by handing out flyers offering home-delivered meals and other assistance.
The State Department has also launched a campaign that includes a Ready To Vote PA toolkit on its website for stakeholders and legacy network providers, as well as posters, social media images and suggested text for newsletters and emails.
Whether Pennsylvanians vote in person or by mail, here are some important dates to remember leading up to the Nov. 5 general election:
– Monday, October 21 is the last day to register to vote, which you can do on the Department of State website.
—Tuesday, October 29 is the last day to request a mail-in or absentee ballot.
—Tuesday, November 5 is the last day to receive mail-in and absentee ballots. The cut-off time is 8:00 PM
On November 5, polling stations are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. If you are in line at 8 p.m., you can vote.
Now comes the hard part.
Deciding who to vote for can be a challenge. And where can you get honest, unbiased information about candidates? Please send us your answers to this.
In the past, opinions could be seen on the editorial page. In today’s world they seem to be in the bylines. The media, especially the national media, is plagued by partisan political programming, blatant bias and a serious lack of fair and accurate reporting.
And fairness in the media is crucial in any election – and not just in 2024.
But partisanship is just a sad way of life in Harrisburg and Washington, so what can we do about it?
We must be diligent and learn as much as we can about all the candidates and then decide who deserves our vote.
Can you find the candidates who will vote with their minds, hearts and consciences for the good of the people, the state and the country?
If you do, please encourage them to stick to their beliefs and please help them get elected.
Today, elected officials increasingly seem more concerned with pleasing their party leadership and securing their chances for re-election than with voting for what is best for the people.
The time for statesmanship is over. What’s left is a bunch of party dolls – on all sides. This country is as politically divided as it has ever been.
November 5 is election day. Do yourself a favor and vote.
Reach Bill O’Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.
