The U.S. Military Gets Screwed Again
By Wyatt Earp | May 14, 2009
I know that this will shock and awe you, but during the 2008 election, 25 percent of the military ballots were “lost.” Funny how that happens, huh? They never made it to their destination, and of course, were never counted.
25 percent. Over 100,000 votes. Lost.
After all that our armed forces have done for us, you would think that the tools in Washington would straighten out the absentee ballot process.
WASHINGTON - One out of every four ballots requested by military personnel and other Americans living overseas for the 2008 election may have gone uncounted, according to findings being released at a Senate hearing Wednesday.
Sen. Charles Schumer, chairman of the Senate Rules and Administration Committee, said the study, while providing only a snapshot of voting patterns, “is enough to show that the balloting process for service members is clearly in need of an overhaul.”
Will anyone out there be holding their breath until this “overhaul” happens? No, I didn’t think so.
The committee, working with the Congressional Research Service, surveyed election offices in seven states with high numbers of military personnel: California, Florida, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas, Washington and West Virginia.
Of course my home state would be involved. Our governor - Fat Eddie Rendell - fought to have military ballots thrown out during the 2004 election. But he supports the troops. Just ask him.
It said that of 441,000 absentee ballots requested by eligible voters living abroad - mainly active-duty and reserve troops - more than 98,000 were “lost” ballots that were mailed out but never received by election officials. Taking into account 13,500 ballots that were rejected for such reasons as a missing signature or failure to notarize, one-quarter of those requesting a ballot were disenfranchised.
The study found that an additional 11,000 ballots were returned as undeliverable.
Are you frakkin’ kidding me?
Schumer’s office said that because a person living abroad must request the absentee ballot and show a clear intention to vote, voter negligence is not thought to be a major factor. (H/T - Drudge)
Of course it isn’t. People do not volunteer for the armed forces because they are slackers. They are highly-motivated individuals who love their country. The last thing they would do is risk their lives for freedom, then ignore their right to vote.
Our troops deserve better. Do you hear that Washington?
Topics: The Troops |
May 14th, 2009 at 2:02 pm
Many of our troops did not receive their ballots in time to return them. Some states did not mail the ballots until 3 weeks before the election. This is not enough time for ballots to go overseas and return in most cases. You bet it’s despicable, but it is not surprising. *spit*
May 14th, 2009 at 2:21 pm
2 comments:
1) Quote from above: Sen. Charles Schumer, chairman of the Senate Rules and Administration Committee, said the study, while providing only a snapshot of voting patterns, “is enough to show that the balloting process for service members is clearly in need of an overhaul.”
NO. NOT GOOD ENOUGH.
WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?
ON WHAT TIMESCALE?
WHO’S HEADS WILL ROLL IF THE DEADLINE IS NOT MET?
2)Wyatt said: “Of course my home state would be involved. Our governor - Fat Eddie Rendell - fought to have military ballots thrown out during the 2004 election”
On what legal basis does a State Governor, elected by the people, fight to have the military disenfranchised?
Unless he has a thundering good reason, Why is he still in office?
May 14th, 2009 at 2:35 pm
Sorry to go OT:
Somebody really needs to have a word with your guys in Ca.
/
Video from Independent Television News (UK) and on the front page of Yahoo News.
May 14th, 2009 at 3:05 pm
A lot of people, myself included, expected this sort of shabby treatment of the military. There are a lot of soldiers who vote conservative, and this is known by the left.
May 14th, 2009 at 3:50 pm
Easy solution… just package all millitary votes with all the voters from the teachers unions… How long do you think being counted as 3/4 of a person would stand then.
May 14th, 2009 at 3:58 pm
Pure unadulterated unforgivable.
May 14th, 2009 at 4:24 pm
Warm Mountain - If I could apologize for our politicians, I would. They surely wouldn’t.
Alan B - Schumer and Rendell are career politicians. In America, that usually means they are beholden to special interests. The military has no lobby or political action committee, and they don’t offer things to politicians for favorable treatment. Thus, a lot of politicians - Democrat and Republican - treat them with contempt. They’re cannon fodder to them.
BobG - That was my subtle, underlying point. It wouldn’t have amde a difference in the POTUS election, but it would have for some local elections . . . like in John Murtha’s re-election trace.
Sully - About 0.005 seconds.
Jon - Agreed. Funny how this comes out after at almost the midpoint of the election seasons. They think no one will remember this by November. They’re probably right.
May 14th, 2009 at 5:09 pm
Isn’t it time for someone to challenge such actions based on The Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (”UOCAVA”) 1986.
“The UOCAVA requires that the states and territories allow certain groups of citizens to register and vote absentee in elections for Federal offices. In addition, most states and territories have their own laws allowing citizens covered by the UOCAVA to register and vote absentee in state and local elections as well.”
http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/voting/misc/activ_uoc.php
There is a section in there allowing for action if the ballot papers don’t arrive in time.
Isn’t it time a Veterans or other service organisation takes action, eventually at Supreme Coyurt level, or are you saying the government and judiciary is so corrupt that even this would not work?
May 14th, 2009 at 9:22 pm
I hate to say it is not surprising. It makes me angry too.
May 15th, 2009 at 12:29 am
It is outrageous. I bet if they were DemocRat votes they would ahve been found. Like Al Franken finds new votes.
May 15th, 2009 at 2:01 am
Not surprised at all.
May 15th, 2009 at 3:16 pm
Alan B - I am saying that no one in Washington cares, and no amount of yelling or litigation will change that.
Admiral - It is a slap in the face to our servicemen and women everywhere.
Rick - Maybe all of the ballots are in the trunk of someone’s car?
Dorkelina - You have to wonder if your and Lazy Bones’ votes were counted.