1 out of 4 military overseas ballots not counted

[JALU3]

Well hot damn! Take a look at this:

Report: One-fourth of overseas votes go uncounted

May 13, 3:07 AM (ET)

By JIM ABRAMS

WASHINGTON (AP) - One out of every four ballots requested by military personnel and other Americans living overseas for the 2008 election may have gone uncounted, according to findings being released at a Senate hearing Wednesday.
Sen. Charles Schumer, chairman of the Senate Rules and Administration Committee, said the study, while providing only a snapshot of voting patterns, "is enough to show that the balloting process for service members is clearly in need of an overhaul."
The committee, working with the Congressional Research Service, surveyed election offices in seven states with high numbers of military personnel: California, Florida, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas, Washington and West Virginia.
It said that of 441,000 absentee ballots requested by eligible voters living abroad - mainly active-duty and reserve troops - more than 98,000 were "lost" ballots that were mailed out but never received by election officials. Taking into account 13,500 ballots that were rejected for such reasons as a missing signature or failure to notarize, one-quarter of those requesting a ballot were disenfranchised.
Given such close races as the one that is supposedly being wrapped up in Minnesota, it's shocking that the military hasn't done a better job at making sure that the servicemembers are able to vote, and the respective States don't do more to coordinate so such things don't occur.

[SteamWake]

Military has nothing to do with it other than handing it to the soldiers.

No this is another fine example of the Federal goverment at its best.

Since most of those votes would most likely be conservative in nature there was no real rush to get them counted. :doh:

[Schroeder]

Since most of those votes would most likely be conservative in nature there was no real rush to get them counted.

Wasn't the election held while Bush was still in charge? :hmm2:

[SteamWake]

Wasn't the election held while Bush was still in charge? :hmm2:

Which election, meh doesent matter. I stand by my statement.

[Platapus]

over 220 years and we still can't manage to have an honest full election in this country. :nope:

I think we should be bothered by this.

[UnderseaLcpl]

over 220 years and we still can't manage to have an honest full election in this country. :nope:

I think we should be bothered by this.

I concur. I'm bothered by this and politics in general enough to wonder why we trust the federal government with anything that relies even marginally upon its' discretionary power at all.

[SUBMAN1]

I concur too.

-S

[Max2147]

It sucks, but is there really a better way?

You can't do anything about the 13,500 that were sent back incorrectly - that's just the fault of the voter. There are also quite a few that get sent out but not returned because the voter either loses the ballot, forgets about it, or decides to not vote.

As far as the rest, snail mail is always unreliable, especially if foreign mail systems get involved.

Does mail to US military personnel go through normal channels, or is there a special military mail service that keeps it in US hands for the entire journey?

[August]

Wasn't the election held while Bush was still in charge? :hmm2:

Dunno about your country but in mine the President does not run elections...

[SteamWake]

It sucks, but is there really a better way?

Well getting them shipped out in due time would be a good start. Some ballots dident reach the troops in time to get filled out and returned in time to be counted.

BTW isint this mostly about then Franken race?

[Schroeder]

Dunno about your country but in mine the President does not run elections...
Neither here, but who actually does organize the election? I don't think it was the Democrats.
So who has decided that: Since most of those votes would most likely be conservative in nature there was no real rush to get them counted.?

[August]

Neither here, but who actually does organize the election? I don't think it was the Democrats.
So who has decided that:?

Well yes and no. Election boards are appointed by their individual states and unfortunately that often means they are subject to the effects of local political biases.

For example, in a state with strong Democrat leanings that often results in, shall we say, over enthusiasm in seeking out disqualifying flaws and stricter application of submission regulations for absentee ballots which normally favor republican candidates but little or no vetting of local voters who would favor the ruling Democrats.

[Schroeder]

Does that only work in one direction?;)
But I see were you are coming from. I think that is a problem that can hardly be solved.

[August]

Does that only work in one direction?;)

Probably not, but absentee ballots are particularly susceptible to such fraudulent tactics there is no way of comparing the total number entered into the system to the total number that were cast.

[AVGWarhawk]

I'm betting if ACORN was there these would have made it X2 or X3 in some cases :D