Fail - Thousands of ballots unlikely to reach military voters in time

A group of Republican senators said Monday that thousands of voter ballots are unlikely to reach military service members until after Nov. 6.

One day ahead of the election, Sens. John Cornyn (R-Texas), Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.), John McCain (R-Ariz.), Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) sent a letter to Defense Secretary Leon Panetta to express their concern over delays in ballots reaching military voters overseas.

“We write to express concerns over another serious failure by the Department of Defense (DoD) to safeguard the voting rights of our overseas military service members, which we believe could result in the imminent disenfranchisement of thousands,” the letter stated.

Mail redirection in the military can take between 14 to 50 days, meaning a ballot could reach the voter possibly more than a month after ballots have to be mailed back in order to be counted. The Military Postal Service Agency (MPSA) identified problems with the system after the 2010 election, but hasn’t implemented changes.

“DoD’s failure to fix this longstanding problem means that the blank ballots of thousands of overseas service members, as well as some who have recently returned from overseas, could be currently trapped in an archaic and inefficient mail forwarding system,” the senators wrote. “These ballots are unlikely to reach these service members until after Election Day has passed."

The senators advised Panetta to create a centralized mail redirection system and modernize military mail delivery.

“We are perplexed as to why DoD did not do everything in its power to modernize the system for redirecting blank ballots in order to eliminate this roadblock for military service members, per the top 2010 recommendations from MPSA,” the letter stated. “As we know you agree, they deserve to have a voice in choosing their elected leaders. Our men and women in uniform should be able to participate in the very same democratic system of government that they defend, not be relegated to mere spectator status because their ballot never reached them.”

The senators asked that a new mail system be in place by the next election, in 2014.

Comments

[anon]

This is a national disgrace that repeats itself every presidential election. Congress and POTUS could change this, but in reality they don't care.

[Maj Pain]

(interesting article)
In 2008, union thugs and members of the New Black Panthers showed up at certain polling places in Ohio and Philadelphia to intimidate Republican voters. To be clear, they didn't say they were there for that reason. Rather, they said they were there to be sure everyone got to vote (wink, wink, nod, nod.)

Members of the New Black Panthers plan to be in Philly again today for the same reasons, ubiquitously, and union thugs will be joining them where possible.

Enter Retired Navy Captain Benjamin Brink, who is sending out "former and retired Special Forces and SEALS" to balance out the presence of the union thugs and New Black Panthers in Philly and elsewhere. Brink's goal is to be sure Romney supporters aren't intimidated into leaving the polls without voting, and to accomplish it, his slogan is "Get Out the Vet."

IMPORTANT: Brink makes it clear that the Special Forces and SEALS are not being sent to engage "intimidators" but to observe and report voter intimidation by Obama's thugs. In this way, those taking part in Brink's "Get Out the Vet" will be able to aide police and other officials on the ground whose personnel are simply spread too thin.

Here's the bottom line: Voters who may have otherwise been intimidated by union thugs or the presence of the New Black Panthers will certainly be encouraged when they see their polls flanked by heroes of the U.S. military: heroes driven not by the revenge Obama can't quit talking about, but by "Love of Country."

God bless Benjamin Brink and the Special Forces and SEALS that stand with him today.

[Tennille Gorham]

We are perplexed as to why DoD did not do everything in its power to modernize.

[Genie Brinkman]

The system after the 2010 election, but hasn’t implemented changes.

[Arrow]

One day ahead of the election??????

Tell me again why we are paying these people????

Had it. Registering Independent next election.

[seaurchin]

I will hold any negative or political comments & offer this: If the Sandy victims could vote by email as an emergency/substitute way to vote, then why not allow those in the military who didn't get their ballots to vote by email as well? It only seems fair, doesn't it??

[Corsets Manufacturer]

We are perplexed as to why