Still no reports on MIlitary vote?

[ThoughtCriminal]

I can't find ANYTHING and I don't recall this ever happening before. Who did our soldiers vote for? I expect the usual strong GOP vote, but I'm beginning to suspect it may have been substantially lower than past elections or the Republicans would be parading it all over the place.

[tridim]

1. They obviously voted for Kerry..

The media would be having a repuke orgasm if they voted for idiot boy.

[meganmonkey]

2. Given the troops' reaction to Rumsfeld today, there is no question

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-4661793,00.html

"Spc. Thomas Wilson had asked the defense secretary, ``Why do we soldiers have to dig through local landfills for pieces of scrap metal and compromised ballistic glass to up-armor our vehicles?'' Shouts of approval and applause arose from the estimated 2,300 soldiers who had assembled to see Rumsfeld."

---They broadcast a clip of this speech on NPR today - the reaction of the soldiers when the guy said this was awesome.

[Blue_In_AK]

20. Deer in headlights

Rumsfeld's look was pretty awesome, too. The question stopped him dead in his tracks.

[thedevilinthedetails]

31. The guy who asked the question voted for Bush

Don't underestimate the Bush voters in the military, or the silence with which they follow their leaders - they are soldiers after all and that is what we train them to do!

We all know how much tight control the military brass and Rove have over these events, how they get soldiers to pledge their allegience before they get let into events like this. Just like Repugs at all the Bush rallies, these media events are tightly controlled by Rove & WH operatives who are continually massaging the President's image and the image of his advisors.

Don't think for a second that something like what happened to Rummy wouldn't be on purpose. I honestly think this whole Rumsfeld thing was another Rovian tool. Remember, McCain said he is going to withold support of Rummy until some questions get answered...well...this was a good way for the White House to address some of the huge criticism that Rummy is taking from all sides AND perhaps a key to keeping him in the job.

[Helga Scow Stern]

3. I just wrote to MMoore, again, asking him.

We should know how they voted!

We should all be writing him today.
[e-mail]

[mostly_lurking]

4. How could those numbers be reported?

I mean, how would anyone know those numbers? Voting is secret, even by absentee ballot. You can't "exit poll" absentees, either, so I expect the best you could do is a standard poll by a polling agency of military families.

[Yupster]

6. Agree Mostly Lurking

Obviously no one puts their occupation on their ballots and exit polls wouldn't catch absentee ballots.

Does anyone know counties which have large military bases within them? That would be one way to see which way the military and their families voted.

I don't know of any myself. No military bases near me.

[mostly_lurking]

9. El Paso County, Colorado

Is just south of me (I live in Denver). It has 4 or 5 large military bases including Ft Carson, Peterson Field, the US Air Force Academy, NORAD, and Falcon Air Station. I just checked and El Paso went 67% Bush, 32% Kerry, 1% Nader.

[bunny planet]

32. Are those guys who have already done tours in Iraq? Are any of them

stop-lossed troops? Just interested.

[mostly_lurking]

34. Ft Carson has had several rotations in and out of Iraq

I know quite a few soldiers from Ft Carson have been, multiple times, in and out of the war zone. I also know that several casualties are from Ft Carson.

Some of the Air Force personnel have had 6 month stints (mostly pilots). But the majority of the Air Force bases in Colorado Springs are not deployable squadron units, so I can't really say how many would have gone,

[spotbird]

39. There are a handful of reports of actual military votes

returned from overseas and counted. Everyone of those counts put Kerry ahead. Maybe the soldiers going into combat without armor see things differently from their stateside brothers.

......

In Lucas County, of the 5,379 provisional, military, overseas civilian, and hospital voters, Mr. Kerry won 3,662 of them, or 68.1 percent. Mr. Bush won 1,701, or 31.6 percent.

http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20041202/NEWS09/412020398/-1/NEWS

.......

The county also collected additional votes through late-arriving absentee ballots. Normally the deadline to recieve absentee ballots is Election Day, but the state extended the cutoff date this year for military men and women serving overseas.

In the final results, Democratic candidates prevailed in Greene in every race except president and U.S. senator.

Presidential candidate John F. Kerry won 25 of the 45 additional votes, but President George W. Bush edged his Democratic challenger by 112 votes. Bush is the first Republican presidential candidate since Richard Nixon to win Greene County. Bush won his re-election, even though Pennsylvania went to Kerry.

http://www.observer-reporter.com/281989458937021.bsp

.......

Meanwhile, the board tallied ballots for 87 Broward voters serving in the military.

Those voters chose Democratic candidate John Kerry over President Bush, 51-34. Two did not make a choice in the presidential race

http://www.bradenton.com/mld/bradenton/news/local/10177124.htm

.........

The late count of provisional and overseas – predominantly military – ballots took place Sunday and Monday at the county courthouse. White added 54 votes to her total, whereas Baxter only added 30. (As an interesting footnote, Butts said the majority of military votes in the Travis Co. presidential race went to John Kerry, who took 259 votes to George Bush's 138.) Witnessing the vote count for the Democrats were Butts and lawyer MariBen Ramsey (both representing the White campaign) along with local party Chair Chris Elliott and coordinated campaign director Glen Maxey. Republican poll watchers during the two-day process featured several attorneys from the Locke Liddell & Sapp law firm, as well as the always unpredictable former (Democratic) County Judge Bill Aleshire, representing the Baxter campaign on behalf of the Riggs & Aleshire law firm. County GOP Chair Alan Sager also attended.

http://www.austinchronicle.com/issues/dispatch/2004-11-12/pols_feature5.html

[Old and In the Way]

10. Very simple.

Have the troops voluntarily sign an affidavit on who they voted for.

If they want their voice heard, that would be quite an effective way for Americans to know what our brothers and sisters, fathers and mothers, aunts and uncles really think about their service in Iraq.

The government/media only tells us about the occaisional pro-Iraq sentiment....I suspect that there are many who feel differently.

[tinfoil_beret]

19. Federal Absentee Ballots

For each election from 1980 to 2000, Florida listed Federal Absentee Ballots below the state tally. For example, see the Florida 2000 election results at http://election.dos.state.fl.us/elections/resultsarchive/Index.asp?ElectionDate=11/7/00&DATAMODE= In 2004, they did not. I wonder why. Could it be because admitting that the troops overseas oppose the current administration wouldn't reflect what Big Brother wants you to think? That seems like a good guess to me.

[bunny planet]

30. Yes but in 2000. * did publicize the percentages of the military vote that

went to him. In fact he would not shut up about it, count the military votes. Even suggested Gore didn't care about the military because he didn't want their votes to count (some arrived after the date and were still counted, do you think that would happen now if they didn't go for *). Then towards the end of this election season, wasn't there some talk of having ground troops vote with insecure e-mails, and stories of some officers ordering some units to vote for * or pay the consequences. Like everything else in this election, this stinks!

[electropop]

35. They do know where the ballots come from by postmark

I think that lets you generally assess it. Assuming the ballots haven't been shredded yet.

[floridamd]

5. son in Iraq

My son is in Iraq and has been since it started. He said that most everyone he knew voted for Kerry, BUT they were told 6 days ago that bush won the military vote by 60% - 40%. He doesn't believe it, he tried for 4 days to find someone that voted for Bush but couldn't find anyone! He has a big mouth (sorry son!)and has been speaking out about it to some of his superiors. Not disrespectful but questioning the vote, asking to look at any documentation etc and was told not to pursue it. He's got a rebellious streak and said he has the right to question etc etc. He left me a message this afternoon saying "he was being punished for his big mouth" Don't know exactly what it means but
can't seem to reach him tonight. If anyone's interested, I'll follow up and let you know.

[DoYouEverWonder]

7. Thanks for the post

I'm sorry to hear that your son is facing retaliation for telling the truth. Good luck to both of you and welcome to DU. :hi:

[mom cat]

8. Oh my God! This is awful! Yes I want to keep in touch on this one!

Call the Randi Rhodes Show on Air America Radio and tell her about it. Here is the link: http://therandirhodesshow.com/team/randi.html

Please also keep us updated here at DU. Welcome to DU. :hi:
Any mom of a "big mouth" is welcome here. Hang in there and know that some liberal prayers are being prayed to the God that loves..not the one that hates.

[floridamd]

12. thanks

thank you both very much, it means alot to me! I'd like to call Randi Rhodes but I'm still working on becoming more assertive, or maybe aggressive?? My husband died fighting in Afghanistan, he was one of the 52 year old veterans called back to fight, about 6 months ago, and he use to do all the talking. You know what really hurts? I had to fight with the military, my congressman, my senator, just to let my son come home for his father's funeral. They finally agreed but he was only allowed to stay in the states for 18 hours. I'm so sorry, i'm babbling. I won't do it again, promise. Again, thank you for your kind words.

[luaneryder]

13. It's criminal

that you have had to suffer in this manner. :hug: and welcome. You and your son are in my thoughts.

[mom cat]

14. You are not babbling! My God, you have already been through so much!

I can'd even imagine, because I never went through the kind of hell that you are going through. I am going to keep this kicked in the Voting Issues Forum at the following link:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=201x6966

I also saw that someone made a good suggestion about contacting

www.optruth.org

Please keep us posted on your son and yourself.:grouphug:

[ourbluenation]

16. You are not babbling

and it's so okay to vent about things like this. All though I'm a newbie, I think you're safe here. Peace be with you.

JTT

[SaveAmerica]

18. I hope he's home safe and sound very soon n/t

[bunny planet]

33. God bless you, all you are going through just breaks my heart.

I hope and pray your son comes home safely to you.

[BrklynLiberal]

11. Contact www.optruth.org n/t

[Helga Scow Stern]

17. I am sending that to Michael Moore.

He's going on Barbara Walters tonight. He should care about this. You should write to him and tell him what your son is experiencing.

[e-mail]

[mom cat]

28. Thanks for your responce to this awful situation. This is one mother who

does not need any more grief.

[newyawker99]

22. Hi floridamd!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[sce56]

25. Tell him to speak out this way it is the best option

and to spread the word with all his buddies who voted against Bush to sign in here demanding congress investigate the vote I've already asked my son to do it and spread the word I think if the congress gets a bunch of people with .mil email adresses they will have even more reason to push this fraud investigation!!!!!! Please note this is their right they can sign any petition they want as private citizens so long as it is not enciting mutiny or unlawful behavoir and not using their rank the .mil address will be enough to show they are true patriots!
http://www.house.gov/judiciary_democrats/contact.html










http://web.archive.org/web/20030402135135/

[Pacifist Patriot]

38. Yikes, yes of course we are interested.

[mom cat]

15. kick

[skids]

21. One way to get a rough read.

Figure out precincts where personell who live at or near military bases in Texas vote. Those precincts should have a larger amount of early voting, with the military ballots rolled in, and you may be able to get a rough read on the way the military votes, as well as their families, that way.

One county precinct-by-precinct is here. There are probably more, Texas does seem to have its shit together on this one aspect of running elections.

http://www.co.travis.tx.us/county_clerk/election/20041102/Enight_Precinct.pdf

--
Brian

[sce56]

27. Be advised most military will vote absentee from their home state

as they usually are not from the location they are stationed at and can not legaly vote there! I know I allways voted absentee back in california during my twenty years of service.







http://web.archive.org/web/20030402135135/

[skids]

40. Does this include

People living in off-base military communities. I believe they have some neighborhoods like that, next to the bases.

[sce56]

41. Depends upon the individual

If for instance like in my case as long as I was not in my native Calif I was immune from paying state income tax If I bought a house and or just wanted to register to vote in Virgina I would become a resident there and would be subject to all local taxes!

ttp://web.archive.org/web/20030402135135/

[soup]

23. Under the radar -

Found this bit buried in an article:

Election 2004
In election, Kennedy proves the great divide

South of the road, most urban neighborhoods went for President Bush. Those north went for John Kerry.

By JANET ZINK and SHERRI DAY
Published November 12, 2004

>snip<
Precinct 101, which includes MacDill Air Force Base and Port Tampa, cast 581 votes for Kerry. Bush got 492.

That seems odd until one considers that although about 19,000 military personnel and civilians work at the base, there are only about 350 housing units, said Diane Green, a MacDill spokeswoman.

The neighborhoods surrounding MacDill are solidly working class, a demographic that typically votes Democratic.
http://www.saintpetersburgtimes.com/2004/11/12/Citytimes/In_election__Kennedy_.shtml

[demo dutch]

24. All military votes were collected through the Pentagon does

that not give you a clue!

[wmbrew0206]

26. How it works

For the military overseas, you request an absentee ballot from your county election official (or contact your local political, both Dem and Rep parties are good about getting you a ballot). The county will send it to you at your APO or FPO address. You receive it, fill it out and send it back however you chose. There are US Army run US postal offices and there is also DHL (like FedEx). No one in your chain of command will ever know you received a ballot or sent it back. If you were really worried about the military altering your vote, you would send it addressed to your spouse/family and have them send it in for you. They don't censor mail anymore because it takes to long to get home to have worry about giving away anything, they do random check of e-mail though.

BTW, if you are military you can claim the state you joined from as your home state and vote there if you chose. I'm in NC, but vote in FL. Many soldier/sailors/airmen/Marines do this if they are from a state that doesn't pay state taxes, but reside in a state that does. So results around military bases aren't always dead on on how the military voted.

[bunny planet]

29. Yes , I've asked this question a few times here, so glad to see a thread

about it. I think Kerry must have won the military vote big time (at least with ground troops, not necessarily the brass). If * had won the Pillsbury Roveboy would be shouting it from the rooftops and it would be plastered in print and blasted all over faux-news. How can we access this information. The will of the people, especially the soldiers needs to be heard.

Mandate my ass!!

[VTGold]

36. Apparently a soldier in Iraq was told 60-40 Bush - even if true...

...which I doubt - that would be a significant message.

A woman on DU said her son was told that by a superior - but he said he and every soldier he knew voted for Kerry.

[Generator]

37. Yeah but would you believe whatever numbers you were given?

I wouldn't. That's what's wrong with the country.

The "20%"-that's us that no longer believe anything the government tells us, and those that don't believe the election numbers.

We are in the dark days of propaganda.

[skids]

42. kick