Effort part of national campaign focusing on protecting 50-plus voters, making their voices heard

WV Press Report

CHARLESTON, W.Va. —  Residents can expect to see AARP West Virginia’s message ‘Vote Safe 2020’ in the coming weeks as the nonprofit, nonpartisan organization rolls out its campaign to education voters on their options for voting this year.

Gaylene Miller, State Director for AARP WV, said the organization will use newspapers, radio, television, social media platforms and other methods to share the information.

Recently, Miller and Jane Marks, State President for AARP WV, spoke with West Virginia Press Association Executive Director Don Smith about Vote Safe 2020. The program will work to ensure voters know all the options for voting safely in the 2020 General Election.

Miller said educating voters is the centerpiece of AARP’s Protect Voters 50+, which is a comprehensive voter engagement campaign to support and protect West Virginians age 50 and up as they vote in the 2020 elections. The efforts focus on providing information about voting options in West Virginia this fall, sample of the information is available at https://states.aarp.org/west-virginia/election-voting-guide.

“We are going to spend a lot of time making sure voters in the Mountain State understand the absentee ballot process – by mail or during early voting – and making sure they feel comfortable if they choose to vote in person on Election Day,” said Miller.

This is the first time, Miller said, that AARP will concentrate on helping people understand some of the changes in the election process that are taking place in states because of the pandemic.

“In many respects we’re serving as a communications vehicle to make sure people know how to vote,” she said. “We want to make sure people know what to expect and when to expect it.”

Marks noted AARP has a 34-year history of non-partisan voter engagement and does not endorse or oppose candidates, nor does AARP make contributions to political campaigns or candidates.

“We encourage all West Virginian’s to ask questions, so they understand where the candidates stand on important issues and make their own decisions this fall,” Marks said.

About AARP
AARP is the nation’s largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering people 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With a nationwide presence and nearly 38 million members, AARP strengthens communities and advocates for what matters most to families: health security, financial stability and personal fulfillment. AARP also produces the nation’s largest circulation publications: AARP The Magazine and AARP Bulletin. To learn more, visit www.aarp.org or follow @AARP and @AARPadvocates on social media.