6 Ways Nonprofits Can Educate Older Voters this Election

At Nonprofit VOTE, we partner with America’s nonprofits to help the people they serve participate and vote. This year, it’s more important than ever.

With COVID-19, a lot has changed, including how people will participate in upcoming elections. Older voters are no exception. Many of them have established voting routines that have changed due to the pandemic. Whether they are voting by mail for the first time or their polling location has changed, older voters need trusted information on how to vote this fall.

Here are 6 things that nonprofit senior centers, area agencies on aging, and other organizations serving older adults can do ahead of the election to make sure people have the information they need to vote. Whether you have been engaging people as voters for years or are doing it for the first time, these tips will make sure your organization, volunteers, and the people you serve are ready to vote.

1. Know the important deadlines and rules for your state with our state-by-state guides.
2. Help voters make a plan to vote by asking how, when, and where they will vote. Having a plan helps voters feel prepared.
3. Promote voting by mail, so voters can cast a ballot from home. Make sure they have the information they need to do it successfully.
4. Send reminders about the election with information about what they need to do if voting by mail and what to bring if they're planning to vote in person.
5. Share a sample ballot or “ballot look up” tool like vote411.org, so they can read up on the candidates and issues on their ballot.
6. Advertise Election Day help by sharing the election protection hotline 866-OUR-VOTE in case they need assistance with voting.

Making sure all voters are ready to cast a ballot can be as simple as sharing these tips!