AARP Oregon Focuses on the Election - and 2021 Legislature

As worries about coronavirus-era safety at public venues and absentee ballot controversies swirl elsewhere in the country, Oregonians are simply sticking to the process that’s worked for the past 20 years—universal mail-in voting, without in-person polling.  

The state’s 2.8 million registered voters automatically receive ballots two to three weeks before election dates. The convenience may help explain high turnout rates of 68 percent of registered voters in the 2018 midterms and 80 percent of voters in the 2016 presidential election.

Adding to the ease this year, postage is now prepaid on all ballot return envelopes. We have more info on voting in Oregon here.

No one has to worry about standing in line, said Betty-Coe de Broekert, 89, of Springfield, who recently dusted off her pro-voting lawn sign to remind passersby.

“Mail-in voting makes it easier for folks who are working, disabled or who lack transportation,” the longtime AARP Oregon volunteer said. “The polling place comes to us.” 

The absence of procedural challenges that some other states are facing because of the pandemic frees AARP Oregon to spend the campaign season highlighting issues of concern to older adults. Building support for age-friendly policies and programs that help people age in place is a key priority.

Another top goal is to push back against employment tactics that disadvantage older adults, said Ruby Haughton-Pitts, AARP Oregon’s state director. Some 62 percent of older Oregon workers have seen or experienced age discrimination on the job, according to a 2018 AARP survey.

“It’s very real,” Haughton-Pitts said. “People age 50-plus already have had a hard time finding and keeping work. Now, with COVID, trying to get back into the workplace after layoffs will be harder than ever.”

AARP supports a bill that would establish a statewide task force to recommend policies and practices to reduce the impact of age bias. For example, the use of terms like “digital native” in job postings might be seen as code for indicating a preference for younger applicants, Haughton-Pitts said. 

“If people have a desire to work, no one should be looking at their age,” she said. “We need new ways to approach our workforce that don’t devalue people as they grow older.”

Learn more about AARP Oregon’s advocacy efforts at aarp.org/or.

Melissa Preddy is a writer living in Plymouth, Michigan.