Challenges Faced by Seniors in the Voting Process

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Too often, aging Americans face obstacles in the voting process, typically surrounding mobility and their ability to physically get to the polls. It may be more difficult for older people to transport themselves to the polls since many people stop driving when they get older and therefore have no means of independent transportation. Many nursing homes and retirement living communities provide transportation for seniors living in their facilities as a standard service and will assist seniors in getting to a polling station. Unfortunately, not all of the members of this vulnerable population of Americans have access to these types of services. Some are not able to afford to live in such a facility. Some prefer to remain in their homes as long as they can, regardless of whether or not they are able to drive or care for themselves. These are the people who may face limitations in their ability to vote due to the physical limitations associated with aging.

Absentee ballots allow people to bypass this issue, but unfortunately, this isn’t a perfect system either. While mail-in voting is becoming more commonplace as more and more states begin to institute this method into their voting process, many states require people to specifically request absentee ballots and to furnish a documented reason as to why they are not able to vote in person. Some states even require absentee ballots to be notarized before being submitted. The extra work required to vote by mail in these states sometimes discourages older voters from registering to vote by mail.

Another challenge that aging voters face is their voting identification. In many states, a valid and current ID is required in order to vote. As people age and begin to choose to stop driving, they also tend to let their licenses expire since they are no longer needed. In certain states, this can cause them to lose their voter registration as well. It is important to assist older adults with the voting process to ensure that their voices and opinions are being heard.

Sources:

https://www.nextavenue.org/why-too-many-older-adults-face-obstacles-voting/

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