TimesArgus.com - We Are Vermont

Some New England states faulted on soldier voting



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Times Argus Staff - Published: January 7, 2009

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — Sixteen states — including four in New England — don't give soldiers deployed overseas enough time to vote, according to a study released Tuesday.

The Pew Center on the States study gave failing grades in New England to Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire. It said Vermont's system is borderline, and Rhode Island's raises privacy and security concerns.

For each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia, researchers calculated the amount of time it takes overseas military voters and election officials to complete each step of the absentee voting process. The researchers then determined if all of the steps could be completed in time for each state's election deadlines and assessed whether overseas military voters have enough time to vote.

The analysis said that the following steps can bring improvements:

  • Expanding the use of the federal write-in absentee ballot, a backup measure for military voters who don't receive their state ballots in time.

  • Allowing election materials to be transmitted electronically.

  • Ensuring a minimum of 45 days to allow ballots to travel between voters and election offices.

  • Eliminating a requirement that military voters have their completed ballots notarized before returning them.







    READER COMMENTS


    Oh, is THAT why McCain lost?
    -- Posted by Sarah R on Wed, Jan 7, 2009, 1:28 pm EST

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    This shouldn't surprise anyone. All of those military votes would be Republican. The majority in Washington will neatly file this analysis in the shredder!
    -- Posted by David Bingham on Wed, Jan 7, 2009, 12:24 pm EST

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