This year’s presidential election is not older adult Americans’ “first rodeo” so to speak. Seniors have decades of experience exercising their right to vote. This year, however, the coronavirus pandemic has many Americans ages 18 and older re-thinking how they are going to vote. The good news is that there are safe and convenient voting options.
With the November 3rd election just weeks away, now is the time to decide, if you haven’t already, how, when and where to vote.
Check out the following voting options, to see what’s right for you.
Vote by Mail
Mail-In absentee voting is a safe alternative to voting in person on Election Day. States are making it easier for citizens to vote by mail this year due to the coronavirus.
While this option is usually used for military men and women, citizens living abroad or traveling and students who attend school in states different from their legal residences, vote by mail is now available to all voters in most states. In fact, your state may automatically send you an absentee ballot or a form to fill out to request one.
To vote by mail, request an absentee ballot online at either of these two websites:
https://www.vote.org/absentee-ballot/ or https://www.nass.org/can-i-vote/absentee-early-voting.
Vote Early In-Person
The process for early, in-person voting varies by state. Find out details about your state here.
By voting early, you can avoid both relying on the Postal Service to deliver your ballot on time and potentially long line at the polls on Election Day.
Vote on Election Day
Election Day, the last day to vote in the 2020 presidential election, is Tuesday, November 3. If you plan to vote on Election Day, you need to locate your local polling place, find out when it opens and closes and then go there November 3rd to complete your ballot and cast your vote in person.
Whether voting in person early or on Election Day, it is important to keep yourself and others safe by wearing a mask, keeping a six-foot distance from others and washing your hands before and after you vote or using hand sanitizer.
Be Informed!
Before voting, it is a good idea to take the time to inform yourself on where the candidates stand on the issues important to you. You can learn more about each candidate by following the election coverage in the newspapers and on television, visiting each candidate’s website and watching the live candidate debates.
Visit Joe Biden’s website at https://joebiden.com/.
Visit Donald Trump’s website at https://www.donaldjtrump.com/.
Major 2020 Presidential Election Dates
- First Presidential Debate - September 29, 2020
- Vice Presidential Debate - October 7, 2020
- Second Presidential Debate - October 15, 2020
- Third Presidential Debate - October 22, 2020
- Election Day 2020 - November 3
- Inauguration Day - January 20, 2021
About Pathway to Living
Founded in 1997, Pathway to Living is a Chicago-based developer, owner and operator of seniors housing. The company’s portfolio includes a wide range of community types – seniors apartments, independent living, assisted living and memory support – spanning 28 properties and more than 3,000 units (including communities under development) in Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. Pathway to Living is owned by Waterton, a Chicago-based real estate investor and operator with real estate assets under management totaling $5.5 billion as of December 31, 2019. For more information, please visit www.pathwaytoliving.com and www.waterton.com.