Military Absentee Votes Are Finally Being Counted

I've been fortunate enough to be involved in many elections, on behalf of some really great candidates. It's always important that we're vigilant to make sure that throughout the course of the election all of the election laws are abided by. Whether an oversight or violation is made by a candidate or the election authority we've got to be vigilant; it's important that we maintain the integrity of our electoral system.

Sadly, far too often by the time we've found the problem it's too late. Last year in Virginia over 2,000 people were deprived of their right to vote. These 2,000 consisted of Americans who were overseas, many of whom we're members of the military. The Virginia Board of Elections mailed these voters absentee ballots far too late for the votes to be timely cast.

The Republican National Lawyers Association has been leading the charge to ensure that the votes of those serving in the military are counted. For more information on military voting I encourage you to read this RNLA White Paper.

Judge says Va. violated absentee voters' rights

By ZINIE CHEN SAMPSON
The Associated Press
Friday, October 16, 2009 4:34 PM

RICHMOND, Va. -- A federal judge has ruled that Virginia violated the voting rights of military service members and other Americans overseas when officials failed to mail more than 2,100 absentee ballots in time for last year's presidential election.

U.S. District Judge Richard Williams also ordered Friday that the Virginia Board of Elections count and certify the absentee ballots.

The ballots from military service members and others living outside the state were the focus of a lawsuit filed by Republican candidate John McCain's campaign, which alleged that they weren't mailed in time for overseas voters to return them before the polls closed Nov. 4.

The missing ballots would not have swung the election in Virginia where President Barack Obama won by nearly 233,000 votes.