Absentee Voting Program Kicks Into High Gear (Every Military Vote Counts!)

American Forces Press Service - Defense Link-US DOD ^ | Aug. 14, 2002 | Jim Garamone

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Absentee Voting Program Kicks Into High Gear

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Aug. 14, 2002 -- If you think your vote doesn't count, just ask George W. Bush and Al Gore.

With the 2002 general election fast approaching Nov. 5, Federal Voting Assistance Program officials are sponsoring Armed Forces Voters Week, Sept. 1-7. The week is designed for military installations worldwide to highlight voting issues.

"The objective is to create awareness of the electoral process and to motivate military members to participate in the upcoming general election," said Polli Brunelli, federal voting program director. "We want to encourage our military members, their dependents, our federal employees overseas and our overseas citizens to be aware of the elections and to exercise their right to vote."

She noted that the 2002 elections cover a third of the U.S. Senate, the entire U.S. House of Representatives, 37 governors and hundreds of local races. "These are lawmakers who will effect policies that govern our way of life," she said.

The states govern the voting rules for their residents. The FVAP works with state officials to ease absentee ballot processes. For example, Brunelli said, the program asked the states to allow service members deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom to receive voting materials by facsimile machines and to fax in completed ballots.

The agency urges military personnel to contact installation voting assistance officers to learn about what they must do to vote in 2002. All units with more than 25 people also have voting assistance officers.

U.S. citizens residing overseas can visit embassies and consulates and get the same information.

The program launched an education process to teach voting assistance officers what they need to know to help service members. Worldwide, the office sponsored more than 100 workshops, Brunelli said.

She said her office has met with state leaders to ensure that all absentee ballots are in on time, properly filled out and counted.

"We're working on postal issues as well," Brunelli said. Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz signed a memo to the military postal service to ensure that all voting materials are postmarked and cancelled for all deployed vessels and personnel. Further, military postal service employees will look for voting materials to ensure they are moved expeditiously.

For more information on Armed Forces Voting Week or absentee voting, point your Web browser to www.fvap.gov.

[jokemoke]

It's great to see that our military men and women matter to this administration.

[E Rocc]

There should be voting booths at every US military base in the world. Use your uniform as your ID if necessary.

Active duty military personnel should be permitted to vote absentee under any and all circumstances. That way if they are deployed on election day or immediately before (as Sinkmeister did on purpose to some units) they still get to vote.

-Eric

[Freedom'sWorthIt]

We have a chance to dump Hillary and to Dump Daschle. They will be doing everything in their power to see to it that military votes are again discounted.

No matter what - we need a huge voter turnout to counter their tricks, their crimes, and their fraud. We can and we MUST be victorious!

[Freee-dame]

We're working on postal issues as well

I wondered about some unionized USPS workers in Florida who just might have been veerrry slooow to send forward entire bags of mail from overseas military around the time of the election....maybe even "lost" some.

[SkyPilot]

Sometimes I truly wonder what is wrong with the Democratic Party that they would intentionaly disenfranchise the very people who are protecting their right to do that!

Oh, there is something wrong with them all right. I guess we could all begin to list the ways, but we would be typing all day.

Many Liberals hate the military out of their own guilt and cowardice. I am convinced of this.

When I heard Clinton's "I'll grab a rifle, jump in a ditch and fight for Israel" comment, he reminded me of my old neighbor in Virginia.

I told the story on the Sunday Talk thread a while back, but here it is again: A bunch of us in the neighborhood were having a beer one Sunday after mowing our lawns. Four of us homeowners were chewing the fat--all of us vets, except the ex-hippy next door.

My neighbor down the street started telling a story of how he flew off aircraft carriers during the Korean War, and made crack about my neighbor (he did this because the ex-hippy was making faces and rolling his eyes).

I forget the ribbing the Korean vet gave the ex-hippy, but he struck a raw nerve. The ex-hippy chugged his beer, got all red-faced and said: "You know, it took a lot more guts for me to go to Cananda and stick with my principles fella!"

[Travis McGee]

All it takes is throwing a bag of military mail "accidentally" into a bin headed for Iowa.

[justshe]

Scaredy Cats often see themselves differently then WE do.

I hope all of you roundly told your ex-hippy neighbor to take a hike! What a bunch of bull pucky. The only thing most of those 'runners' to Canada had in their veins was an influx of adrenaline spawned by their cowardly fear. Courage my tush!

[A Navy Vet]

Yeah, I heard the same crap.

[Political Junkie Too]

Agreed. I'm talking about Joe-Couch-Potato who can't be bothered to go to the polls. Why spend millions on modern voting technology at the polls, and then more millions to make it easier for voters to stay home?

-PJ

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Armed Forces Voters Week, Sept. 1-7.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Any friends or relatives in the military...this President wants to make sure that your vote counts.

Federal Voting Assistance Program officials are sponsoring Armed Forces Voters Week, Sept. 1-7. The week is designed for military installations worldwide to highlight voting issues.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Ping.