Disenfranchisement of Military Personnel, again?(Vanity)

self | 11-06-2006 | self

[Spruce]

I just finished my daily phone conversation with my daughter. She is stationed overseas in the Air Force and we talk every day when possible. During the conversation I asked her if she voted yet. She sighed and said "I was told my ballot was rejected because it was late. Again.". I asked "Were you timely?". She answered "Dad, I filled out my ballot and sent it back the day I received it. They did this to us the last time I tried to vote. WTF?"

[El Gato]

At the time of the initial posting, it was not yet midnight anywhere in the United States at any polling place, so how could it be "rejected as too late"?

Since it takes weeks for mail to get back to the US, and while some states go by the postmark, others go by time of receipt, some being as you say midnight before election day, others, like Nebraska, require receipt by the time the polls close, which also varies, but 7PM local time is pretty typical.

I'm not saying any of this applies in this case, but that it's possible.

[El Gato]

They have one, it's just that they didn't always use them especially on ships where all the mail is placed in a bundle before being shipped to the USPS.

I remember that from the 2000 and 2004 elections. I would think the same might apply to Army, Marine and Air Force units on terra firma, or does USPS have "detachments" in theater?

[Marie]

It's been a huge headache every time we've tried to vote out of Wyoming. I usually start the process 10-12 weeks before the election.

This year I waited too long (4 weeks out) and there was no way I could get the ballot to my husband (in Iraq) and have him return it in time. I began the process, but when I got the run-around that first day and knew it would take forever to straighten it out, I gave up. You do have to work harder than everyone else to vote if you're with the military.

[SFC Chromey]

When I was at Tallil, Iraq in 03, all of the absentee ballots for our county ended up being sent to me. They were rubber-banded together with mine on top. There were 45 ballot brochures that I had to get re-sent across the theatre. It was late to me, so I know the others didn't get theirs in time.

[tongue-tied]

And Algore was going to fix it, whether he won or lost. Thanks again Al...

Don't they still not count them unless the race is close?

[PghBaldy]

I remember 2000 very well. It's what made me really start to change my whole political outlook. The Dems are so boneheaded to try to invalidate military votes, yet want FELONS to vote...

[screaming eagle2]

The American people will be wondering a year from now what happened to the U.S. military as they suffer another terrorist attack from Al-Queada.All they have to do is look at Nancy Pelosi, John Murtha John kerry Etc ,as they gut yhe military for their favorite social program.GOD help us!