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WILKES-BARRE — The 2024 election cycle is in the homestretch and many voters are still undecided on who they will cast their precious votes for.
And not just for President — all races are important and many are closely contested.
So I give our state government some credit for trying to help.
The state released some information this week that is thought-provoking.
For instance, data shows older voters are more likely to have mail-in ballots rejected due to errors — so Commonwealth agencies are working together to give older voters trustworthy information about vote-by-mail.
Wait, what? “Trustworthy information?”
Well, there’s a valiant mission.
Most voters are longing for Nov. 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 their opponent. Voters would prefer, perhaps, candidates to tell us why they should vote for anybody.
Back to that valiant 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 leadership from the 52 Area Agencies on Aging to discuss voter education among older adults ahead of the Nov. 5 general election.
“Older adults generally vote more often than any other age group, and the upcoming election will likely be no different,” said Secretary Kavulich. “Mail ballots are essential to ensuring that every eligible voter can make their voice heard, yet the process to fill them out and return them can sometimes be confusing for older adults.”
Department of State data from the April 2024 primary election showed that voters ages 70 and older returned 50% of all mail ballots cast, but accounted for 58% of the mail ballots rejected due to errors on the ballot return envelope.
Some of these errors included failing to include 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 ballot process to prevent such errors. Secretary Schmidt noted that the Department of State redesigned mail ballot envelopes with clearer instructions to clarify the process.
“The Shapiro Administration and the Department of State believe every qualified voter deserves to have their vote counted,” Secretary Schmidt said. “The Department has made significant improvements to mail ballot materials to cut down on undated or misdated mail ballot envelopes that have resulted in ballots being rejected.”
The Department of Aging is partnering with the Department of State to educate older Pennsylvanians on how to properly fill out and submit their mail ballots by distributing flyers with home-delivered meals and other outreach.
The Department of State also has launched a campaign that includes a Ready To Vote PA toolkit on its website for stakeholders and aging network providers, as well as posters, social media images, and suggested text for newsletters and emails.
Whether Pennsylvanians vote in person or by mail-in ballot, here are some important dates to remember leading up to the Nov. 5 General Election:
• Monday, Oct. 21 is the last day to register to vote, which can be done on the Department of State’s website.
• Tuesday, Oct. 29 is the last day to apply for a mail-in or absentee ballot.
• Tuesday, Nov. 5 is the last day mail-in and absentee ballots can be received. The cut-off time is 8 p.m.
The polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Nov. 5. If you are in line by 8 p.m., you can vote.
Now, here comes the hard part.
Deciding on who to cast your vote for can be challenging. And where does one go to get fair, unbiased information about candidates? Please send us your answers to that one.
Back in the day, opinions were seen on the Editorial page. In today’s world, they seem to be in the bylines. The media, especially the national media, is wrought with partisan programming, blatant bias and a gross lack of fair and accurate reporting.
And fairness in the media is vital in any election — not just 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 find out as much as we can about all candidates and then decide who deserves our vote.
Find the candidates who will vote their minds, their hearts and their consciences for the good of the people, the state and the country?
If you do, encourage them to stay with their convictions and please help them get elected.
These days, elected officials seem more and more intent upon making their party leadership happy and safeguarding their chances of being re-elected than they are of voting for what is best for the people.
Gone are the days of statesmanship. What is left is a gaggle of party puppets — on all sides. This country is as divided politically as it has ever been.
Nov. 5 is Election Day. Do yourself a favor and vote.
Reach Bill O’Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.