2008 Woodie Awards
Overseas Ballots
Access to overseas ballots becomes an issue in the upcoming election.
Erika Batey
Issue date: 10/29/04 Section: News
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This year an estimated six million Americans abroad are eligible to cast absentee ballots. Included in this estimate are half a million troops overseas.
The issue is particularly important in this election, and the challenge of making sure all these eligible citizens have access to ballots is daunting. Absentee ballots have the potential to sway an election. "Nearly seventy percent of the service members cast ballots during the last election, compared with fifty-one percent of the general public and thirty-seven percent of U.S. civilians abroad," according to Charles Abell, principal deputy to the undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness. In 2000, President Bush's victory was certified only after overseas ballots were counted.
Steps are being taken to assure overseas citizens have even easier access to ballots. Earlier last month, members of U.S. armed forces with legal residence in Missouri, North Dakota, or Utah were given the opportunity to use e-mail to vote. However, critics stated their fears of possible vote tampering.
Many states missed the September 19 date for sending out ballots to countries overseas. Acting on pressure posed by political parties, the Pentagon has decided to post a federal write-in ballot on its website for overseas citizens if their regular ballots do not arrive on time. Lt. Col. Joseph Richard, a spokesman for the Pentagon, stated, "This is being done at the request of both political parties to extend every opportunity to those overseas, both civilian and military."
Some states have even decided to accept ballots that arrive late. While each state varies, some have established the cutoff date as late as November 17. Many fear this could possibly cause a delay in the reporting of the results.
The greater opportunities available to vote overseas are important steps in extending the vote to all Americans, regardless of whether or not they are currently residing in the country. This right of overseas citizens to vote was not given until 1975.
The issue is particularly important in this election, and the challenge of making sure all these eligible citizens have access to ballots is daunting. Absentee ballots have the potential to sway an election. "Nearly seventy percent of the service members cast ballots during the last election, compared with fifty-one percent of the general public and thirty-seven percent of U.S. civilians abroad," according to Charles Abell, principal deputy to the undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness. In 2000, President Bush's victory was certified only after overseas ballots were counted.
Steps are being taken to assure overseas citizens have even easier access to ballots. Earlier last month, members of U.S. armed forces with legal residence in Missouri, North Dakota, or Utah were given the opportunity to use e-mail to vote. However, critics stated their fears of possible vote tampering.
Many states missed the September 19 date for sending out ballots to countries overseas. Acting on pressure posed by political parties, the Pentagon has decided to post a federal write-in ballot on its website for overseas citizens if their regular ballots do not arrive on time. Lt. Col. Joseph Richard, a spokesman for the Pentagon, stated, "This is being done at the request of both political parties to extend every opportunity to those overseas, both civilian and military."
Some states have even decided to accept ballots that arrive late. While each state varies, some have established the cutoff date as late as November 17. Many fear this could possibly cause a delay in the reporting of the results.
The greater opportunities available to vote overseas are important steps in extending the vote to all Americans, regardless of whether or not they are currently residing in the country. This right of overseas citizens to vote was not given until 1975.