AARP Alabama has partnered with WSFA 12 News to bring you all of the information you need before you head to the polls to vote for Montgomery's next Mayor:

• RUNOFF DEBATE | On Thursday, September 26th, Montgomery mayoral candidates David Woods and Steven Reed participated in a Debate live on WSFA 12 News and sponsored by AARP Alabama. The two candidates answered a wide range of questions. You can see their responses on the WSFA page.
• VIDEO VOTER GUIDE | WSFA asked each candidate the same 3 questions, gave them 1 minute to respond, and posted the videos online for you to watch.
• CANDIDATE FORUM | On Wednesday, August 14th, 11 candidates vying to become the next mayor of Montgomery participated in the Montgomery Mayoral Forum. The candidates answered a wide range of questions. You can watch all of their responses on the WSFA page.

Click here to watch the full event

On Tuesday, August 20th, over 800 callers joined AARP Alabama, the Montgomery Advertiser, and the City Planner of Montgomery for a special "Telephone Town Hall." They asked our expert panelists questions about key issues in your neighborhood - safety, livability, transportation, and others - that you want to know about before Election day arrives.

You can watch the entire event or listen to clips of great answers from our panelists over on the Telephone Town Hall page.

What is a Livable Community?
The term means different things to different people. Here’s our definition:

A livable community is one that is safe and secure, has affordable and appropriate housing and transportation options, and offers supportive community features and services. Once in place, those resources:

• enhance personal independence;
• allow residents to remain in their homes and communities as they age; and
• foster residents' engagement in the community's civic, economic, and social life.

Why is livability important to AARP?
AARP Alabama is working to ensure that all Mayoral candidates make livability issues a priority during their campaign. For years, AARP in Montgomery has been engaged in work that addresses the livability of our community, such as improving transit, the walkability of neighborhoods, pedestrian safety, and innovative public spaces. Montgomery's Mayoral candidates and the City Council have a livability champion in AARP - a champion willing to work hard to make Montgomery an even better place to live for people of all ages.

What is the economic impact of livable communities?
Livable communities provide a host of advantages that enhance the quality of life of residents, the economic prospects of businesses and the bottom lines of local governments. Homes closer to parks and open spaces have higher property values than those further away. Increased economic activity and savings has also been shown in livable communites. You learn more about these benefits in The Livability Economy report.