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GOP attacks Rendell over military ballots
AP ^ | Oct 22, 2004 | MICHAEL RUBINKAM

Posted on 10/23/2004 7:29:43 AM PDT by abner

GOP attacks Rendell over military ballots

MICHAEL RUBINKAM

Associated Press Writer

PHILADELPHIA (AP) _ Republican lawmakers have accused Democratic Gov. Ed Rendell of trying to suppress military votes for President Bush by failing to push for an extension of the deadline to accept overseas military and civilian ballots.

Democrats said there wasn't a ``single shred of evidence'' to back up the claim.

Nevertheless, rumors of military disenfranchisement swirled Friday. Hundreds of angry callers swamped the governor's office, forcing it to set up a recorded message: ``The governor is very aware of this issue. Please leave your name and contact information.''

With military personnel traditionally voting Republican, the GOP is eager to garner as many military votes as possible in Pennsylvania, a key battleground state in the Nov. 2 election.

Republicans want Rendell to ask the courts to extend the deadline for counting absentee military votes until Nov. 17 _ something the governor has refused to do.

On Wednesday, a federal judge sided with the Rendell administration in refusing a U.S. Justice Department request to order new absentee ballots for military families and overseas voters and to give those voters until after the election to return them because of confusion over Ralph Nader's ballot status.

``The men and women who are most affected by who becomes commander in chief, their vote is going to be denied,'' said state Rep. Stephen Barrar, R-Chester. ``If 73 percent of these votes were coming in for John Kerry, she (U.S. District Judge Yvette Kane, a Clinton appointee), would rule the other way and so would Ed Rendell.''

Thousands of military personnel from Pennsylvania serve in Iraq and other hot spots around the globe. Pennsylvania law required the state's 67 counties, which run the election system, to start mailing absentee ballots to military and civilian voters in remote parts of the world by Aug. 24. All other overseas ballots were to be sent starting Sept. 20.

Brian McDonald, a spokesman for the Pennsylvania Department of State, said all military ballots have been mailed on time _ an assertion disputed by U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum's office, which said Union and Venango counties were late in sending their overseas ballots.

State Sen. John Pippy, R-Allegheny, said he's heard from constituents whose family members are serving overseas in the military and have yet to receive ballots. Pippy, who served nine months with the Army Reserves in Iraq and Kuwait last year, said he himself never got a ballot for the November 2003 general election.

``If there is a concern about military votes and overseas votes not being included, the easiest way to alleviate that concern is to give the extra time,'' Pippy said.

In the state's April 27 primary, Rendell successfully sought court orders to extend the deadline for absentee ballots from military families and overseas voters until May 17 _ three weeks after the election.

But Rendell spokeswoman Kate Philips said the need then was legitimate. Because of a record number of challenges to nominating petitions, many counties did not mail absentee ballots on time, making a deadline extension necessary.

``The fact is, all military and absentee ballots have been mailed in Pennsylvania and there's certainly time to return those,'' she said. ``There's an implication that (Rendell) would put party politics over his responsibility as governor, and he would never do that.''

Late Friday, Democratic House leaders accused Republicans of using a ``pathetic scare tactic'' to prop up President Bush, who trailed Sen. John Kerry in Pennsylvania in the latest Quinnipiac University poll. Republicans, including Santorum, have been making accusations against Rendell ``without a single shred of evidence,'' Minority Leader Bill DeWeese and Democratic Whip Mike Veon said in a statement.

Put politics aside, said Melissa A. Hrinya, Pennsylvania legislative chairman of the 60,000-member American Legion Auxiliary.

``All we're asking is for two more weeks. I just want them to have a fair chance of voting,'' she said.


TOPICS: Announcements; Crime/Corruption; Extended News; US: Pennsylvania
KEYWORDS: militaryvote
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To: calex59

Will they not count those from the first set of ballots that have a clear vote for either GWB or Kerry? Only the "Nader" ballots would need to be discarded.


21 posted on 10/23/2004 8:51:57 AM PDT by Another Thought
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To: abner

Just sent Rendell this email and am calling now.




I am a veteran. I was a veteran that usually voted for the Democratic Party. Never more. I cannot fathom why you as the Governor of Pennsylvania would intentionally disenfranchise the brave men and women fighting for our country. Your party, the Democratic Party ties up the issue in the courts just long enough to ensure a timely mailing of absentee ballots to our fighting service members would be delayed. Now you seem satisfied with your accomplishment and refuse to help them with an extension. I’m disgusted and will energetically support Republicans in the future. You and the PA Democratic Party should be very ashamed of yourselves.


22 posted on 10/23/2004 8:56:57 AM PDT by schaketo (Notorious for skinny dippin' in the same pond as snappin' turtles)
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To: wequalswinner
I am a veteran and I was told the same thing by personnel at a reserve base I work for. And I also know that military personnel overseas are trying their best to get ballots out and mailed back in time.

But I do agree that Rendell, and every demorat for that matter, is trying to suppress the military vote for fears that it could turn PA into a GOP victory.

23 posted on 10/23/2004 9:07:06 AM PDT by pctech
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To: abner
Thousands of military personnel from Pennsylvania serve in Iraq and other hot spots around the globe.

Interestingly enough: the outraged friends and familes of these unjustly disenfranchised American servicemen and women have a golden opportunity to use their anger towards the 'Rat party, this election cycle... :)

24 posted on 10/23/2004 9:08:08 AM PDT by KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle (I feel more and more like a revolted Charlton Heston, witnessing ape society for the very first time)
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To: onyx; 0311; 1971TinyTim; 3catsanadog; 57 Corvette; A Vast RightWing Conspirator; A Watcher; ...
``There's an implication that (Rendell) would put party politics over his responsibility as governor, and he would never do that.''

Anyone from Philly KNOWS that Rendell, in a heat beat would put party politics over his responsibility as governor

PA FREEPERS .... Please call Rendell and tell him to let our military's vote count .... (717) 787-2500

25 posted on 10/23/2004 9:09:32 AM PDT by Mo1 (This Sept 10th attitude is no way to protect our country)
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To: Mo1

Thanks!


26 posted on 10/23/2004 9:10:32 AM PDT by abner (http://www.swiftvets.com or http://www.wintersoldier.com)
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To: demlosers; abner
Rendell playing games... I hope the Mil Voters from PA realize they can use the federal absentee ballot as a substitute.

But does the federal ballot include senate and congressional candidates?

27 posted on 10/23/2004 9:10:44 AM PDT by Paleo Conservative (Hey! Hey! Ho! Ho! Dan Rather's got to go!)
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To: MoJo2001

thanks for the ping, Mojo. Unfortunately my computer harddrive crashed (like all new things seem to do!) and I am using my spare laptop that does not have the ping list on it. Sooooo....I won't be much help here. Sorry! I sure do hope they can retrieve all of my data from the other laptop! Sheesh! And it's raining out!


28 posted on 10/23/2004 9:11:42 AM PDT by MistyCA (Sign the Form 180, Kerry!)
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To: baseballmom

They're going to be treated as write-ins, and discounted. No, they won't be counted.


29 posted on 10/23/2004 9:11:52 AM PDT by 7.62 x 51mm (• veni • vidi • vino • visa • "I came, I saw, I drank wine, I shopped")
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To: abner

Is it just me, or did the article barely mention that the current ballots may be bad because of Nader's name on them?


30 posted on 10/23/2004 9:12:49 AM PDT by Hacksaw (You can judge a man by the members of his bump list.)
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To: Hacksaw

Nope.


31 posted on 10/23/2004 9:13:42 AM PDT by abner (http://www.swiftvets.com or http://www.wintersoldier.com)
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To: abner

This is only the tip of the deceit. My 82 year old mother was just informed that her absentee ballot will be thrown out because Nadar's name was originally included, and now it has been taken off by Demonrat judges. That's 16,000 ballots tossed by this stupid state. Now she'll have to get up on her crippled legs and vote on election day. And I'll be right beside her making sure no DemonRat goons give her a hard time. Or they meet the mighty fists of Doc Savage!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


32 posted on 10/23/2004 9:19:17 AM PDT by Doc Savage
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To: abner
Any time :0)

We also need to contact our State Representatives and tell them to find their Spine

They too need to stand up for our Military

Here are lists to find our Representatives

Members of the House of Representatives in PA

.

Members of the Senate in PA

33 posted on 10/23/2004 9:21:02 AM PDT by Mo1 (This Sept 10th attitude is no way to protect our country)
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To: Hacksaw
I'll bet there are A LOT of folks that don't know that
34 posted on 10/23/2004 9:22:23 AM PDT by Mo1 (This Sept 10th attitude is no way to protect our country)
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To: abner
Check out this story posted and spread the word!

Online Write-In Absentee Ballot Offered for Overseas Voters

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1254449/posts

The military overseas can vote online.

35 posted on 10/23/2004 9:23:49 AM PDT by airborne (God answers all prayers. Sometimes the answer is ,"No".)
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To: Doc Savage

I live in Philly and my ballot had Nader on it. I called the board of elections and they told me to vote on it and sent it in, that it will be counted. Have your mom call the board of elections in the county she lives in and see how they are going to handle it. If they say it's o.k. have her mail it in. I called Bucks county too, they said the same thing.


36 posted on 10/23/2004 9:26:00 AM PDT by hipaatwo
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To: airborne

That is better than nothing.

I would imagine that the people in charge over there will make sure that all of the troops have an opportunity to do so.


37 posted on 10/23/2004 9:26:15 AM PDT by abner (http://www.swiftvets.com or http://www.wintersoldier.com)
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To: abner

It's an option at least. I sent it to my brother and cousin, both of whom are in Iraq.


38 posted on 10/23/2004 9:30:38 AM PDT by airborne (God answers all prayers. Sometimes the answer is ,"No".)
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To: abner
And then you have this article...

GOP calls election observer partisan (Rendell appointments former Kerry adviser)

...reporting "Fast Eddy" Rendell's appointment of a major Democratic fund-raiser and former Kerry campaign advisor to help run the state's new election oversight efforts.

39 posted on 10/23/2004 9:32:28 AM PDT by I'mPeach
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To: Mo1

Thanks, I already made my voice heard in his office


40 posted on 10/23/2004 9:35:07 AM PDT by RangerVetNam (Bill Clinton only lied to me. John Kerry lied about me!)
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