Posted on 10/01/2012 5:52:13 PM PDT by Hunton Peck
[Madison, Wisc...] At least 30 Wisconsin municipalities failed to send absentee ballots to military voters before the 45 day deadline, according to former U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Anthony Principi, and he's demanding the Government Accountability Board address the problem immediately.
As reported by the website WisPolitics.com, Principi sent a letter to the GAB on Monday pointing out the failure to meet the 45 day deadline is in violation of Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voter Act.
"This violation is particularly unsettling in light of the fact that, only six months ago, a federal court entered a consent decree against Wisconsin and the Government Accountability Board for similar violations of military voting rights," wrote Principi.
Principi cited a study by the Military Postal Service Agency, which found less than 45 days is not enough time to ensure service members can receive, complete and return in time.
"Your office's violations therefore may deprive service members of their fundamental right to vote," he wrote.Screen shot 2012-10-01 at 7.09.56 PM.png This comes on top of a report by the MacIver News Service that the Federal Voter Assistance Program was providing Wisconsin service members the incorrect deadline for when their ballots must be received by for the general election.
The Department of Defense is scrambling to undo any damage caused when the Federal Voting Assistance Program provided the wrong absentee ballot deadline to Wisconsin service members. Also in Washington, DC, House Administration Chairman Dan Lungren, (R-Calif.) took action to ensure that the voting rights of military and overseas voters are protected, including sending a staff attorney to meet with state election officials here.
"It's alarming to know that an untold number of our men and women in uniform were provided incorrect information," said Lungren. "This is an unacceptable error that cannot continue. Whether it's from the battle field or at the ballot box, our men and women in uniform deserve to have their vote counted."
Principi also sent his letter to Nelson Hermilla, U.S Department of Justice Chief Civil Rights Division, and J.B. Van Hollen, Wisconsin Attorney General.
Principi was U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs under President George W. Bush from 2001-2005. He now serves as National Chair, Veterans and Military Families for Romney Coalition.
MNS will have more on this story on Tuesday.
One is too many...
I don’t know. I haven’t found info on what municipalities failed to get the ballots out in time, and without that info, can’t even guess how many it would be.
Monday, October 1, 2012Romney campaign wants GAB to push back deadline to absentee military ballots
Mitt Romney's campaign demanded today that the GAB extend the deadline for local election officials to receive absentee ballots from military voters.
But a Government Accountability Board spokesman said such a change would have to come through a court order.
The Romney campaign wrote in a letter that federal law requires election officials to send absentee ballots to military voters at least 45 days before a federal election. But at least 30 Wisconsin municipalities failed to send the ballots by the deadline of Sept. 22.
Former U.S. Veterans Affairs Secretary Anthony Principi, writing for the campaign, urged the GAB to immediately ensure the transmission of absentee ballots to soldiers, extend the deadline by which they must be returned and notify each military voter to whom GAB sends an absentee ballot of the proposed extended deadline.
Election officials must receive military absentee ballots by the Friday after the election, Nov. 9.
"A period of less than 45 days does not allow sufficient time for members of our armed forces to receive, complete, and return their absentee ballots," Principi wrote. "Your office's violations therefore may deprive service members of their fundamental right to vote."
GAB spokesman Reid Magney said the agency will respond directly to the Romney campaign. But he stressed the agency identified the municipalities that had not met the deadline and was already working with them to get the ballots out.
He also said some of the ballot requests came from other Wisconsin residents abroad -- not just soldiers.
Magney said the GAB alone can't change the deadline for the ballots to be received.
"It would have to be by court order," he said.
-- By JR Ross
Obama HATES our military men and women...
Obama’s WAR on men and WOMEN!!!!!
NO taxation without representation.
The military should NOT PAY TAXES!
Dems may not care, but I think the average Wisconsin voter does care and is totally unaware of the shenanigans going on at city hall.
Grassroots pressure is the best catalyst for cleaning out corruption.
Swoon.. :)
Similar “unexpected” problems with 2012 military ballots are happening all over our US.
http://watchdog.org/55187/va-military-absentee-ballots-going-awol-in-2012/
“How ‘bout the soldiers tell obozo he gives them their ballots, or they give him their bullets!”..
Unfortunately, it just may come to that very thing.
As a Wisconsin citizen and VETERAN, I will do what ever I am able to assist these brave people who fight for our freedom both at home and abroad. Seems like the battle will be coming home soon unless Odumbo and his band of merry robbers are removed, be it by election or feet first. It is time!
Heads up Wisconsin freepers.
Obama to campaign at University of Wisconsin-Madison campus
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President Barack Obama will campaign at the center of the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus on Oct. 4 outside of Bascom Hall.
The appearance marks the second time Obama has been in Wisconsin in as many weeks. It’s his first visit to Madison since 2010, when he also held a rally outside of Bascom Hall.
Pass it on...this damn fraud must be stopped, and my best to you and Wisconsin!
Obama to make push for early voting in Wisconsin
Associated Press
7:14 a.m. CDT, October 4, 2012
President Barack Obama will fire-up his Democratic base during a rally Thursday at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he’s expected to urge his supporters to vote early.
Obama won Wisconsin by 14 points in 2008, an easy win in a state where 1-in-5 ballots came in before Election Day.
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