McCain Sues to Force Va. to Count Military Ballots

[Robb]

Source: Washington Post

John McCain's campaign sued Virginia's electoral board today, hours before the election, seeking to force the state to count late-arriving overseas military ballots.

The lawsuit asks a federal judge to order the State Board of Elections to count any overseas absentee ballots sent by November 4 and received by local election officials as late as November 14.


Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/03/AR2008110301729.html

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Eh, I thought McCain wasn't polling well with the military these days? Or is that just those serving in Iraq and Afghanistan?

[global1]

1. Seems To Me He Will Say That Obama Didn't Want The Military Vote Counted......

and use that to his advantage some way.

[Ian David]

2. I could get behind that. Obama should join the lawsuit on McCain's side. n/t

[atreides1]

7. You should read the Law first

It lists the standards.


The UOCAVA provides for a "back-up" ballot, called the Federal Write-In Absence Ballot (FWAB), which can be used by citizens covered by the Act in federal general elections. The FWAB may be cast by voters who have made a timely application for but have not received their regular ballot from the state or territory, subject to certain conditions. A federal write-in ballot will not be counted if:

in the case of an overseas voter who is not an absent uniformed services voter, if it is submitted from any location within the United States;

if the application for a regular ballot is received by the local election official after 30 days before the general election, or after the state deadline for receipt of the ballot, whichever is later; or

if a State absentee ballot is received by the local election official by the State's deadline for receipt of the regular ballot.


Read the last part, it's specific that the State's deadline, not one made up by Johnny the songbird, is what counts!

[amdezurik]

13. ah you should read some of the whines about that part LOL

any judge who enforces the clearly stated rules is an Obama "agent" trying to detroy the military!

[TrogL]

3. That could backfire

Not all troops support McCain.

[Ian David]

9. But I bet the ones in that particular sack of mail McCain has all voted for him. n/t

[JuniperLea]

4. How many Virginians are in the military?

Would those numbers make a difference?

Let him make all the stink he wants... just in case WE need to make a stink later.

[crikkett]

24. Almost all of them.

:)
Alright, a large percentage.

Norfolk Naval Base is the biggest port on the East Coast IIRC. Then there's a smattering of other army, marine and air force bases.

[tanyev]

5. OK, you do that, John.

[atreides1]

6. Here's the short version

The UOCAVA provides for a "back-up" ballot, called the Federal Write-In Absence Ballot (FWAB), which can be used by citizens covered by the Act in federal general elections. The FWAB may be cast by voters who have made a timely application for but have not received their regular ballot from the state or territory, subject to certain conditions. A federal write-in ballot will not be counted if:

in the case of an overseas voter who is not an absent uniformed services voter, if it is submitted from any location within the United States;

if the application for a regular ballot is received by the local election official after 30 days before the general election, or after the state deadline for receipt of the ballot, whichever is later; or

if a State absentee ballot is received by the local election official by the State's deadline for receipt of the regular ballot.

The FWAB is available at military installations and embassies worldwide, and an official on-line version of this ballot and information and instructions about it are available on the FVAP website.


I don't think McCain has any standing, since it's the Justice Department that has responsibility for enforcing this law:

ENFORCEMENT OF THE UOCAVA
Under Section 105 of the Act, the Attorney General is authorized to bring civil actions to enforce its requirements. The Attorney General has assigned this enforcement responsibility to the Civil Rights Division.

[JJ]

8. Bullshit stunt

pretending they care about those they put in harms way, and trying to make Democrats look bad.

[gratuitous]

10. SOP for the GOP

Run to the courts to try to change the rules in the middle of the game. And isn't this the same Commonwealth of Virginia where a registrar of voters is trying to prohibit some college students from voting, because their dorm isn't a "permanent" residence?

[IllinoisBirdWatcher]

11. He had to find something legitimate to sue about...

to avoid the 100% bogus charges of voter registration fraud.

[amdezurik]

12. the shameful aprt of all this?

that our recruiting efforts have seemed to gotten an awful lot of people signed-up who cannot follow simple directions to fill out a form (it says it needs an address for a witness, not a hard concept to me)...

[Turbineguy]

14. Famous last words.

"I woulda won if it hadn't been for those fucking military ballots!"

[Joe Chi Minh]

30. Well, well. Didn't he vote to cut their pensions? And he expects them to vote for him?

[14thColony]

15. These are just the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballots

I don't know exactly how many people in the military use these, but certainly not all of us do. I simply applied for a Florida absentee ballot like any other Florida ex-pat, and mailed it back in normally, thus being an 'invisible' overseas military voter. I suspect the troops in active combat zones will go for the FWIBs moreso because they're easier/more available, but overseas military in garrison may be more inclined to get their own state's ballot. In any event McCain better be careful what he asks for, lest he get it.

[Phred42]

16. Good - Military is donating to Obama 3 to 1 and more

But wait a minute - He's Suing the GOP? They are the only ones that suppress the vote

[beac]

19. It's actually SIX to one! And of course, EVERY vote should be counted! n/t

[Phred42]

21. OK 6 to1

[beac]

23. I think somebody has been hiding the fact that the military does NOT want him as CIC from McInsane.

He's in for a mighty big surprise tomorrow!

[4lbs]

17. I agree that all military votes should be counted. They are risking their lives, count their votes.

McCain may be banking on military votes to help him edge out Obama in VA.

Don't count on it.



http://www.huffingtonpost.com/diane-tucker/younger-military-families_b_133183.html



Younger Military Families Closing Ranks Around Obama

by Diane Tucker
October 3, 2008
Huffington Post


<snip>
Deployed Troops Give Four Times More Money To Obama

People in all branches of the service are getting tired of repeated deployments. "I think more of them will vote for Obama than McCain," said Jennings. According to the Center for Responsive Politics, deployed troops are putting their money where their mouth is: they've given four times as much money to Obama as McCain.

<snip>

Inbody told OffTheBus, "We know from several studies that the officer corps, especially senior officers, identify strongly with the Republican Party. But it is more likely that junior officers and enlisted personnel more nearly mirror the general American population when it comes to party identification and voting behavior."

This could result in a 1.2 to 1 advantage for Obama in military communities, according to Inbody, especially if the campaign "isn't tone deaf" to the inroads that are possible.
<snip>

[BlueIdaho]

18. New group - Activist Judges for John McCain... nm.

[Taverner]

20. Um, that's not going to help him

Chances are, they will be for Obama

[David__77]

22. I favor following whatever the law is.

I would think it is clear enough, but don't know. The GOP has a pretty selective concern for voting access, however.

[JJ]

25. It's got nothing to do with the votes or the troops

It's a cynical PR stunt, period. Trying to reinforce the bullshit GOP meme that "Democrats hate our troops."

[demoborn47]

26. maybe McCain should look at this before he pushes it too far

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x7708181

He assumes just because he was in the Military, he has that vote locked up. AND, I don't know a lot about the military but don't most of them cast their absentee ballots WAY ahead of time and not wait until election day? Seriously, let me know if I'm off base.

[FamousMortimer]

27. I never had trouble voting from Korea when I was in.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

28. Of course they should be counted...

I hope they haven't been tampered with.

[Joe Chi Minh]

29. It truly beggars belief that ANY legitimate voters' ballots should go uncounted.

I mean what is it with your election people?

Could somebody please explain to me why any serviceman's vote should not be counted? I mean, is there a reason that nobody's saying? I've never heard a reason for it. Or for the so-called "provisional ballots" not being counted?

They are NOT provisional ballots. They are EMERGENCY BALLOTS, mostly, apparently, necessitated by the ineptitude or chicanery of local, State election-officials and/or judges.

[awoke_in_2003]

31. Can't say much about the election people...

but there is an old saying: "If voting made a difference, it would be illegal".

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

32. Sounds like a good thing, Obama should get on board.

[IndianaGreen]

33. Them Jesus loving soldiers will cast their ballots after election day, as they did in 2000

to give GOP the edge needed.

DOD has already procedures in place to get ballots on time. This suit is bullshit, and is design to stuff the ballot box.