Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : FREE AMERICA -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Karen Lawrence who wrote (239)	3/22/2006 5:44:03 PM
From: goldworldnet	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 14758

Senators Seek Smoother Military Voting By MARY CLARE JALONICK, Associated Press Writer Wed Mar 22, 8:39 AM ET news.yahoo.com Twelve senators are asking Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld to make it easier for troops abroad to vote, saying the current system is outdated. Seven Republicans and five Democrats wrote to Rumsfeld this month, asking the department to create a new voting system that would allow members of the military to easily "request, receive, download and print" absentee ballots regardless of their location. Under the current system, members of the military must contact local officials by regular mail and request a ballot, which is then mailed to them. The voter then must fill out the ballot by hand and send it back to his or her state, again by regular mail. "Military absentee voting is still conducted in the same way it was conducted during World War II and the Korean War," the senators wrote. A Pentagon spokeswoman would not comment on the letter, saying it is Pentagon policy not to comment on correspondence between the secretary and members of Congress. Samuel Wright of the National Defense Committee, a group that advocates for electing more veterans to Congress, said he has counted 7,838 different state and local election offices that administer federal elections and communicate with troops overseas. Wright said it would be ideal if military abroad could receive ballots by e-mail, fill them out and send them to their local election offices by regular mail. "The military voter is a moving target," said Wright. "The current system requires that they have to find the voter." Sen. Conrad Burns (news, bio, voting record), R-Mont., prepared the letter and is planning legislation that would make the process easier. He said Tuesday the current process is unacceptable. Also signing the letter were Republicans Christopher Bond of Missouri, Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania, James Inhofe of Oklahoma, Elizabeth Dole of North Carolina, Olympia Snowe of Maine and Wayne Allard of Colorado. Democrats signing the letter were Max Baucus of Montana, Barbara Mikulski of Maryland, Richard Durbin of Illinois and Daniel Inouye and Daniel Akaka of Hawaii. * * *