No one has a greater claim to participate in the process of setting the
nation’s direction than America’s warriors. They risk their lives to
defend their countrymen, but they have received little regard at the
ballot box in return. As the race between Democratic President Obama and
GOP challenger Mitt Romney remains too close to call, voters in uniform
could have a decisive impact on the outcome. It’s clear Mr. Obama’s
supporters don’t want that to happen.
The Military Voter Protection Project labels as “bleak” the prospects for Americans in uniform who use absentee ballots to have their voices heard. The organization, set up to help servicemen vote, surveyed ballot requests in various states and found applications were only 33 percent of the number requested in 2008. “While the number of absentee ballot requests will increase in the coming weeks, especially as the election draws near, the amount needed to meet 2008 levels is staggering,” said the group’s Aug. 31 report. Defense Department resistance to congressionally mandated voter assistance requirements is to blame.
Those in military life are often stationed far from home or overseas, which makes voting more difficult. In the 2008 presidential contest, only 20 percent of the 2.6 million military voters had their ballots counted. Many states were tardy sending out absentee ballots to servicemen, causing completed ballots to arrive after Election Day. Consequently, Congress enacted the Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment Act in 2009, which mandated absentee ballots be sent to servicemen requesting them at least 45 days prior to Election Day. This year, that deadline expired on Sept. 22.
Read more: http://www.libertynewsonline.com/article_301_32344.php
The Military Voter Protection Project labels as “bleak” the prospects for Americans in uniform who use absentee ballots to have their voices heard. The organization, set up to help servicemen vote, surveyed ballot requests in various states and found applications were only 33 percent of the number requested in 2008. “While the number of absentee ballot requests will increase in the coming weeks, especially as the election draws near, the amount needed to meet 2008 levels is staggering,” said the group’s Aug. 31 report. Defense Department resistance to congressionally mandated voter assistance requirements is to blame.
Those in military life are often stationed far from home or overseas, which makes voting more difficult. In the 2008 presidential contest, only 20 percent of the 2.6 million military voters had their ballots counted. Many states were tardy sending out absentee ballots to servicemen, causing completed ballots to arrive after Election Day. Consequently, Congress enacted the Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment Act in 2009, which mandated absentee ballots be sent to servicemen requesting them at least 45 days prior to Election Day. This year, that deadline expired on Sept. 22.
Read more: http://www.libertynewsonline.com/article_301_32344.php
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