Rendell agrees to extension for overseas ballots

[seemslikeadream]

10/29/2004, 2:06 p.m. ET
By MARK SCOLFORO
The Associated Press


HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — The parents of two soldiers stationed overseas agreed to settle their federal absentee-ballot lawsuit against Gov. Ed Rendell on Friday in a compromise that extended until Nov. 10 the deadline for the return of presidential ballots.

The Democratic governor also agreed to seek a similar extension for state races in Commonwealth Court. The secretary of state has until Nov. 11 to certify whether any statewide race requires a recount under a new law that makes recounts automatic in the closest contests.

Leslie Anne Miller, Rendell's general counsel, said the dealbalances the right to vote with state government's need to run a smooth election.

"It provides the maximum amount of time for overseas voters to fill out their ballots while simultaneously allowing the secretary of state and elections officials to comply with the recount," she said

more
http://pennlive.com/newsflash/topstories/index.ssf?/base/politics-0/1099054167259820.xml&storylist=

Soldiers' Votes Could Decide Election

Friday October 29, 2004 7:01 PM
By DEBORAH HASTINGS

....

After spending $22 million, the Defense Department abandoned an Internet-based voting system after citing security concerns - leaving regular mail as the main way to vote from abroad.

In addition, a Defense Department program that helps Americans vote from overseas blocked access to its Web site for fear of hackers, locking out would-be voters requesting registration cards and absentee ballots. The site did not reopen until late September, although the department recommends allowing at least 45 days for requesting, receiving and mailing ballots.

In Baghdad, exactly one week before Election Day, the Voting Assistance Officer at the military-run Ibn Sina Hospital was on leave.

Sgt. Ahnjala Haggerty, a 30-year-old medic from Missouri, was so confused by the rules that she submitted her voter registration form three times before getting it right.

``It's kind of a pain to do,'' she said. ``I sent in the card and they sent it back to me because it was wrong and I sent it in again and it was wrong again.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uslatest/story/0,1282,-4583726,00.html

[progressivebydesign]

1. It AMAZES me that NO ONE has noticed this thread!

We're all so excited over the premature confetti release.. BUT.. The GOP has succeded in fucking up the election. The overseas ballots will not have be to received and counted untill ONE WEEK after the election. ONE WEEK. That pretty much assures that Bush will have time for legal wrangling when kerry wins.. But. let's all concentrate on confetti, shall we?

I knew that once Gore agreed to let the late ballots be counted last time that he set up a precedent.

[Bandit]

3. I truly don't believe it will matter

I think there will be such an overwhelming turnout and such high percentage of democrats voting that this year the military vote in that state will not matter one wit.

[Mandate My Ass]

2. This is a ploy, I'm sure

Only I don't think they're all going to come back with Bush's name on them like they think they are. It started earlier in the week when Curt Weldon held a press conference saying Rendell was trying to supress the military vote and when they asked Rendell about the lawsuit, his spokesperson said they hadn't even received any papers yet!

It turns out, of something like 26,000 ballots that were mailed out, only one person, an avid Bush supporter, claimed not to have received his and his parents filed suit in federal court.

[ugarte]

4. Why does everyone think the military vote will go for Bush?

Given a secret ballot and not some bogus poll, they'll go for Kerry.

[Zorra]

5. Democrat ex-pats are voting in unprecedented numbers this year.

In the past, republicans have received the majority of overseas votes.
This is almost completely because of the military vote.

In all probability, because of the war, the military vote will be more Democratic this year than ever before.

Also, Democrat expatriates have registered to vote en masse this year, and will somewhat cancel out the (projected) republican military vote.

So the overseas vote could be a fairly insignificant factor this year, and could actually even favor Democrats.

[Eloriel]

6. Everyone's voting in unprecedented numbers this year n/t

[PATRICK]

7. In principle this thing is right

and noble, even if not done in any preceding war, but the timing dangles more hope for GOP cheating as noted.

Lieberman was wrong in 2000 because it was AFTER the election and already tens of thousands of Dem votes had been wasted or locked out. Unfortunately he set the noble precedent which should have been cleared up long ago, not subject to the sentiments of individual governors whoever they are.

Ed is a little too much in the Lieberman mode of giving away the store to Bush, but too late now.