Local organizations help senior citizens get to the polls

LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI)- With election day now just 18 days away, voters want to make sure they can safely cast their ballots during a pandemic.

The big day gets closer and closer and community organizations are helping elderly voters get to the polls.

The wheels on the bus go round and round.

This time, it’s heading to the Lowndes County Courthouse.

“Since the absentee process is going on here in the state of Mississippi, we want our seniors who are 65 years or older to get out and vote. They can vote by absentee because of their age primarily due to COVID-19. We want them to feel safe and secure but most importantly that their vote counts,” said Johnson.

Toni Johnson is apart of the American Civil Liberties Union and League of Women Voters. Johnson says the threat of COVID-19 is a concern for elderly voters.

“When you add a pandemic, like Coronavirus, to the election cycle it makes people nervous. Nobody has ever voted during the pandemic, I know I haven’t. We wanted to make sure that voters are educated and they know the rules of engagement. We want voters to feel comfortable and safe casting their ballots,” said Johnson.

And dozens are loading the vans.

” This is the first movement we’ve had open since these issues are coming up and we have got to make sure we are apart of this movement,” said Ezra Baker of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.

“This election has driven people to out their house, off their porch, out of their living rooms onto the voting path. People who’ve told me they’ve not voted before are going to vote this time,” said Barbara Blanchard with Columbus-Lowndes NAACP.

“We have a duty and responsibility to elect individuals who will represent us in the state local and national level,” said Johnny Johnson of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.

District 38 State Representative Cheikh Taylor says it’s up to the public to vote for who they want in office.

“We want to send a strong signal that now is the time. You can vote today, you can vote tomorrow, and you can vote up until election day. We want you to vote early and make sure this is a monumental occasion. This is probably the biggest election in our lifetime,” said Taylor.

Taylor and Johnson are urging folks to vote in the election.

“We do have mail-in voting and things like that, but there’s no greater satisfaction than actually pushing that button to make sure that your vote is recorded,” said Taylor.

“We want them to feel safe and secure but most importantly that their vote counts,” said Johnson.

Senior citizen voter assistance will continue until the end of October.