AARP Virginia to sponsor The People’s Debate for 2021 Gubernatorial race

AARP Virginia to sponsor The People’s Debate for 2021 Gubernatorial race

Organization asks political parties to encourage nominees to participate

RICHMOND _ AARP Virginia has announced that it will host The People’s Debate for the 2021 Virginia Governor’s race.

AARP Virginia State Director Jim Dau today issued letters to chairpersons of the Republican Party of Virginia and the Democratic Party of Virginia announcing the debate and asking the leaders to encourage their nominees for Governor to participate in the forum.

“AARP Virginia has worked for decades to make sure voters have the information they need on issues important to them to make their own choices when casting their ballots,” Dau wrote to party leaders. “We will sponsor a statewide debate between the 2021 candidates in Virginia’s gubernatorial race to once again advance this work.”

AARP Virginia will sponsor The People’s Debate, to be televised and distributed across the Commonwealth, during the month of October. The exact date and location will be finalized in the coming weeks. AARP Virginia’s media partner for The People’s Debate is Richmond’s WTVR-CBS 6. AARP Virginia and CBS 6 will select a journalist to serve as moderator.

The People’s Debate will include only significant candidates. Significant candidates are those who have made a public announcement of the intention to run; will appear on the general election ballot; have a staffed campaign headquarters office; have issued position papers; have made campaign appearances; and, within 45 days of the event, have registered a minimum of 15% voter support in at least one statistically significant poll conducted by news media or other independent organization (free of ties to any political party or candidate).

“With so many feeds of distorted information trying to shape everyone’s opinions and decisions, it’s critically important that voters get to hear directly from the candidates on important issues,” Dau said. “The People’s Debate will offer the candidates an opportunity to talk directly to voters so that they can make up their own minds in this election.”

The People’s Debate, which began in 2006, is Virginia’s oldest and most widely broadcast statewide, televised debate. CBS 6 will distribute the debate to broadcasters statewide to make the forum available to voters across Virginia.

AARP Virginia has traditionally sponsored The People’s Debate for gubernatorial and U.S. Senate races. AARP does not endorse or contribute money to candidates, political parties, or campaigns.

With nearly 1 million members in Virginia, AARP is the largest organization working on behalf of people age 50+ and their families in the Commonwealth.
To learn more about AARP Virginia, like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/aarpvirginia and follow @AARPVa on Twitter at www.twitter.com/aarpva.

AARP is the nation’s largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering people 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With a nationwide presence and nearly 38 million members, AARP strengthens communities and advocates for what matters most to families: health security, financial stability, and personal fulfillment. AARP also produces the nation's largest circulation publications: AARP The Magazine and AARP Bulletin. To learn more, visit www.aarp.org, www.aarp.org/espanol or follow @AARP, @AARPenEspanol and @AARPadvocates, @AliadosAdelante on social media.​

--30--