AARP West Virginia has released its 2016 Video Voter Guide featuring exclusive one-on-one interviews with gubernatorial candidates Senate President Bill Cole (R) and Jim Justice (D), answering key questions on how they would improve the lives of family caregivers, help West Virginians prepare for retirement security and make the Mountain State more age-friendly.
In the 22 minutes of questions and answers with AARP West Virginia State President Rich Stonestreet and State Director Gaylene Miller, the candidates for governor address the needs of the state’s nearly 300,000 unpaid family caregivers and the more than 270,000 working West Virginians without access to retirement saving plans in the workplace. Each of the candidates also details his vision of making West Virginia more age-friendly.
“Voters in communities across the Mountain State want to know more about where the candidates stand on the issues affecting their lives,” said AARP West Virginia State President Rich Stonestreet. “We’re thankful to these candidates for thoughtfully sharing their insights with us.”
West Virginia voters can watch the interviews online at www.aarp.org/wv or on AARP West Virginia’s social media channels – Facebook (AARPWestVirginia) and Twitter (@AARPWV) – and make their personal voting decisions on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 8. AARP produced the video as part of a 30-year commitment to non-partisan voter engagement effort, to help voters be informed and feel they’re part of the electoral process.
Additionally, AARP West Virginia and the West Virginia Press Association will present the state’s first broadcast gubernatorial debate in this election cycle at 7 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 4. The hour-long debate will originate from the Walker Theater at Charleston’s Clay Center for the Arts and Sciences, with West Virginia Public Broadcast producing the live television, radio and online broadcast. West Virginia Press Association member newspaper websites across the state will provide online video and extensive print coverage, including live post-debate coverage.
According to voter statistics from the West Virginia Secretary of State’s office, there are more than 1.25 million registered voters in the Mountain State. For information about the November 8 election, including information about voting locations, early voting and sample ballots, AARP encourages voters to visit the Secretary of State’s office online at http://www.sos.wv.gov/elections.
