Election Officials: Deadline for Mailing Your Ballot Has Passed

Voters Urged to Vote on Election Day or Return Ballots to Drop boxes Where Available

Over 83 million people across the country have already voted as the November 3 election approaches; however, more than 42 million out of the 92 million mail ballots requested by voters nationally had not yet been returned as of Wednesday afternoon, according to data from the U.S. Elections Project, a nonpartisan site tracking early voting.

Local election officials are telling voters that if a ballot has not yet been put in the mail, there is no guarantee that it will arrive on time, but there are other options for making your vote count.

“If you have a mail ballot and have not returned it yet -- please do NOT put it in the mail,” said Alliance President Robert Roach, Jr. “If your community has ballot drop boxes -- return your ballot there as soon as possible. Otherwise take your ballot to your local polling place on Election Day and vote in person.”

“Election rules differ from location to location,” he added. “We suggest visiting the vote.org website to verify your polling location and the rules and poll hours in your area. Of course calling your local elections board is a great way to get reliable information about how to cast your vote.”

If you have trouble at the polls on or before November 3, remember that you can call 1-866-OUR-VOTE, or go to http://www.866ourvote.org, for assistance. This nonpartisan Election Protection coalition, which includes the Alliance and the AFL-CIO, was formed to ensure that all voters have an equal opportunity to participate in the political process.

The 2020 election is on track for historic levels of voter turnout. Texas leads the nation in early voting with 9 million ballots cast – already surpassing the state's total 2016 turnout.

Biden vs. Trump on Retiree Issues

of the Affordable Care Act outlines the key reasons behind the Alliance’s August endorsement of the Joe Biden-Kamala Harris ticket in the race for president and and vice president.

"Joe Biden needs seniors to come out for him in force so that he can lead us through the pandemic, expand and protect Social Security and Medicare, lower prescription drug prices and defend pensions from attack over the next four years,” said Richard Fiesta, Executive Director of the Alliance.

“The retiree vote can make all the difference in bringing the Biden-Harris ticket a victory,” added Alliance Secretary-Treasurer Joseph Peters, Jr.

Hillary Rodham Clinton, Lee Saunders, President Roach Speak with Alliance Seniors on Tele-Town Hall Call

On Wednesday tens of thousands of retirees from 17 states joined the Alliance for a “Get Out the Vote” tele-town hall call with former Secretary of State and Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton. Sec. Clinton, along with AFSCME President and Alliance executive board member Lee Saunders and President Roach, took questions, discussed the most important issues impacting older Americans in the election and gave advice regarding what seniors can do in the next few days to help get the vote out for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.

“Four years ago, Donald Trump asked what do you have to lose? Well now we know, don't we - our health care, our jobs, our loved ones, even our lives,” said Sec. Clinton on the call. “We've got to do everything we can to elect a president and vice president who believe in science and will address this (Covid-19) crisis with the urgency it deserves.”

“Make one more phone call. Sign up for one more shift. Talk to one more friend or neighbor about making a plan to vote,” President Saunders advised listeners.

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