OUR MISSION:
The men and women serving overseas in the U.S. military who risk their lives for us are often
denied the basic right to vote. "Military Voting Rights USA" is a national network dedicated
to ensuring that military voters have their votes cast and counted.
Our long-term goal is to build a grassroots network that will address and solve problems that
infringe on military voting rights.
To join our network email us at Info@MilitaryVotingRightsUSA.Org OR Info@MvrUSA.Org
There are two immediate problems that we will address:
1. BALLOTS DELIVERED LATE FROM OVERSEAS ARE NOT COUNTED.
The ballots of military voters are very often not counted because the mail delivery system
gets them to election officials after the deadline required for those ballots to be counted.
We support federal legislation to establish a national express mail delivery system for overseas military
voters that will get votes home in 4 days instead of the three weeks the process now takes.
Legislation by Republican Congressman Kevin McCarthy and Republican Senator John Cornyn
was introduced in 2008 to establish such a system, but was killed by union and House Democratic
leadership opposition. Similar legislation was introduced in the 11th Congress, H.R. 2393
and the identical S. 1026. Recently enacted Federal legislation inspired by these bills is a step forward
but provides for only 1 week delivery of military ballots from overseas, when open competition among
express mail providers instead of granting a monopoly to the U.S. Postal Service, could have reduced
delivery time to 4 days. The result is that overseas who mail their ballots less than 1 week before the
election could be disenfranchised.
Our next action item is to have our network contact Members of the House and Senate
and urge them to support new legislation that would reduce delivery times for overseas military ballots to 4 days.
The original legislation had bipartisan co-sponsors in both the House and Senate.
For information on co-sponsors of the original legislation, visit www.Thomas.Gov and search for H.R. 2393 by
Rep. Kevin McCarthy and S. 1026 by Senator John Cornyn.
2. OVERSEAS MILITARY VOTERS CANNOT ATTEND OR PARTICIPATE IN
PRESIDENTIAL DELEGATE SELECTION CAUCUSES.
Military voters serving overseas are, in-effect, prohibited by Rules in both political parties from
participating in the Presidential delegate selection process in any state where those delegates are
selected in a caucus which requires that participants appear in person to have their votes counted.
We support changes in state and national Rules in both parties to guarantee that military voters
have the right to vote in presidential delegate selection caucuses by absentee ballot.
The Republican Party passed a new Rule (15) (c) (7) at the 2008 National Convention suggesting
that state parties examine this issue. The next step in the Republican Party is for military voting
rights advocates to urge the Republican National Committee (RNC) to pass a resolution urging that
states with caucuses take action to enfranchise military voters in those caucuses. Then military
voting advocates can urge state parties with caucuses to reform their Rules.
The Democratic Party is also considering the issue of absentee caucus voting.
Our next action item is for volunteer advocates to attend the next RNC meeting at the end of January
2010 in Honolulu HI and to urge RNC and state party leaders both to support the express mail legislation
and to consider the issue of military voting rights in caucuses.
If the RNC acts in support of military voting rights, it will build pressure for Democrats to act as well.
In addition, Military Voting Rights USA is providing testimony to the Temporary Delegate Selection
Committee of the RNC, urging the RNC not to impose a mandatory calendar on states in any way
that could force states whose legislature refuses to comply with an RNC mandate to replace
their 2012 primaries with caucuses.
BACKGROUND ON THE EXPRESS MAIL LEGISLATION:
In the 2006 election only 1/3 of the million ballots distributed to military and overseas voters were
actually counted according to the U.S. Election Assistance Commission. In 2008 many oversesas
voters ballots were not counted as well.
There are many problems that prevent military votes from being counted, but the easiest one to
solve is the lack of timely ballot delivery from overseas. According the Department of Defense’s
Office of Military Voting Assistance it takes as long as 3 weeks for a ballot to be delivered home
from overseas. Many ballots are not counted for the simple reason that they are late.
The PEW Center for States Report “No time to Vote” found that 25 states were deficient
in their methods for dealing with overseas military voters. But changing 25 state laws is difficult,
and some changes may involve forcing a state to change the date on which a state holds its
primary election. Speeding the delivery of military ballots from overseas can be done more quickly
than changing state laws, and will also ensure that voters can cast their ballots closer to the date
of the election, when voter interest is highest, and when undecided voters have had a chance to
observe more of the campaign, including late-in-the-campaign debates.
There are four potential solutions for ensuring votes are returned in time and counted. We believe
that express mail delivery is by far the best. Here are the four possible solutions:
1. Faxing ballots:
Defect: This sacrifices secrecy of the ballot. Military voters deserve the right to a secret ballot.
2. Allowing election officials to accept ballots received after the close of polls on Election Day:
Defect: Election officials may not be able to guarantee the validity and integrity of a postmark from
overseas, so there is potential for fraud, especially in a close election where the day after an election
an overseas voter or group of voters may realize that a few extra votes could make a big difference.
The post-election deadline solution could become a precedent and a slippery slope for non-military
ballots where postmark security is far from certain.
Allowing ballots to be received after the close of the polls on Election Day may also delay
a determination of the outcome of an election.
3. Voting on a Pentagon computer server or using the Internet or other electronic ballot transmission
methods:
Defect: There is a risk of hacking from outside sources (a foreign power or other entity), from
inside sources (one or more corrupt, blackmailed or ideologically motivated insiders) or worst of all
from collaboration between inside and outside sources. A recent National Institute of Standards
and Technology (NIST) study raises serious concerns about the integrity and security of Internet
voting.
Future improvements in technology might reduce the risk of hacking but it is difficult to convince
all of the public that any system absolutely cannot be hacked. The key to the legitimacy of an
election is that virtually all voters accept that the election was run honestly. Voter confidence
is a critical component of an election system.
4. Our express mail solution:
We believe the best solution for right now is to establish a federally funded express mail
delivery system for completed ballots. The Military Voting Assistance Office of the Pentagon
says military voters must allow 3 weeks under the current system to ensure that ballots are
delivered on time. An express mail delivery system established by federal law could get ballots
delivered in 4 days. Military voters could deposit their ballot by Friday before the general election
and have the ballot delivered to their local election office by the close of polls on Election Day.
THE HISTORY OF EXPRESS MAIL LEGISLATION
In 2008, The National Association of Secretary of States unanimously endorsed the express mail
solution.
In 2008, legislation to establish the express mail system was introduced by California Representative
Kevin McCarthy, now House Republican Chief Deputy Whip, and Texas Senator John Cornyn, now
head of the National Republican Senatorial Committee. The legislation was passed in the Senate
but killed by Democratic Party leaders in the House, allegedly because postal unions, specifically
the Rural Letter Carriers Union, opposed allowing anyone but union workers to carry ballots.
New legislation introduced by Sen. Cornyn and Rep. McCarthy in 2009 forced Congress to act.
Legislation just enacted established an express mail system, but gives the Postal Service a monopoly
on delivery of overseas military ballots and allows 1 week delivery of military ballots, not the 4 days
that open competition among express mail providers could achieve. As a result military voters who
mail their ballots less than 1 week before a general election could be disenfranchised.
Legislation to establish the fastest possible express mail delivery system for overseas military
ballots will be re-introduced in the House and Senate in the very near future.
SUGGESTED ACTION FOR MILITARY VOTING RIGHTS ADVOCATES:
Send us an email so you can receive regular updates on the latest developments.
Upon introduction of the express mail legislation, contact House and Senate Members
in your area and urge them to support the fastest possible delivery of overseas military ballots.
The Congressional phone number to call is 202-224-3121.
Just ask for your Representative’s or Senator’s office by name and the main operator
will connect you to that office. Ask to speak to the legislative staff that handles military
voting rights issues.
Keep track of the name of the person you speak with and the response that you receive.
Don’t be shy about following up to see what action your Representative or Senator has taken.
Email the names and responses you get to us at at our email address:
Info@MilitaryVotingRightsUSA.Org OR for easier access Info@MvrUSA.Org
Contact local media, including newspapers and talk shows, and blog on the web to announce your
support of this legislation. Urge people to go to this website:
MilitaryVotingRightsUSA.Org" or for easier access "MvrUSA.Org”.
Send us copies of articles and posts.
Contact friends and potentially interested organizations and recruit them to get involved.
Organizations can pass resolutions and urge their group’s members to support the bill.
Send us the names of interested persons and any lists that might be useful.
Talk to friends who will do the same and get them to send us an email so they can receive
updates.
The grassroots movement we build can make the difference for military voters serving America
around the world! If you would like to help in any way, Join Us by sending an email to:
Info@MilitaryVotingRightsUSA.Org (or for easier access) Info@MvrUSA.Org
MORE INFORMATION AND UPDATES WILL BE AVAILABLE SOON!
Note: This grassroots-designed website will be updated and improved in the very near future!
