Harrisburg, PA – 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 November 5 general election.
“Older adults generally vote more often than any other age group, and the upcoming election will likely be no different. 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,” said Secretary Kavulich. “The Department of Aging and P4A are grateful to Secretary Schmidt for his leadership in offering education and ensuring election integrity so older voters can take the proper steps to make their vote count, no matter how they cast their ballot.”
Department of State data from the April 2024 primary election showed that voters ages 70 and older returned 50 percent of all mail ballots cast but accounted for 58 percent 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 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.
In the leadup to Election Day, the Department of State (DOS) launched a statewide digital advertising campaign about voting-by-mail and election security focusing in particular on older Pennsylvania voters as part of its robust efforts to promote trustworthy information around voter education. With this new ad campaign, the Shapiro Administration is continuing its commitment to safe and secure elections that protect the right of every eligible Pennsylvanian to vote and make their voice heard.
The advertisements are running statewide and include vote-by-mail spots, which began running September 23 and will run through November 4, and election security ads, which began September 18 and will continue through November 16. The campaign features 15- and 30-second advertisements on YouTube (in English and Spanish), and 6-second ads on Facebook and Instagram. The election security spots lead viewers to the Shapiro Administration’s new Election Security in Pennsylvania page.
Whether Pennsylvanians vote in person or by mail-in ballot, here are some important dates to remember leading up to the November 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 8:00 p.m.
- The polls are open from 7:00 AM to 8:00 p.m. on Nov. 5. If you are in line by 8:00 p.m., you can vote.
For more information about voting, including how to apply for a mail-in or absentee ballot and where to find your polling place, visit the Department of State’s website.