Governor Signs Bills Increasing Ability of Georgia's Military and Overseas Voters to Cast Ballots

Governor Sonny Perdue singed (June 2) into law two bills, House Bill 665 and House Bill 1073, which increases the opportunity for Georgia’s military members and other overseas voters to participate in state elections.

Governor Perdue and Secretary Kemp were joined by HQ Command Coordinator Otis Womack, Maj. Helen Duggan, Sfc. Michael Cornelius, Sgt. Irvin Balfour, Sr., Spc. Roger Hillegas and Capt. Nicholas Williams from Fort McPherson; State Representatives Mark Hamilton, John Meadows, and Bob Bryant; State Senators Jim Butterworth and John Douglas.

“As I’ve had the privilege to visit with some of our troops stationed overseas, they always remind me that it’s the little things about home they miss the most. The things that we sometimes, frankly, take for granted,” Governor Perdue said. “It’s so important to protect one of the most unique and cherished privileges of our great democracy.  It is a right that was won and is supported daily by our men and women in uniform.”

Secretary Kemp added, “One ballot cast by a member of our military that is not counted due to slow mail service or a missed deadline is one too many. These bills increase Georgia’s commitment to our men and women in uniform, who fight to protect our Constitution and our freedoms, by providing them additional opportunities to vote and fully participate in our elections.”

House Bill 665 establishes a pilot voting project that allows overseas and military voters to cast their ballots and have them received by local election officials in time to be counted. One method is to establish kiosks where voters cast their ballot, and the ballot is transmitted to the Secretary of State’s office or the voter’s county via a secure online network. Currently, Georgia’s overseas and military voters may only submit their absentee ballots by mail.

HB 1073 strengthens Georgia’s compliance with the federal Military and Overseas Voters Empowerment Act – or MOVE Act.

Among the features in this bill:

• Absentee ballots must be sent to overseas voters 45 days prior to a general primary or general election,

• Increased access to absentee ballots for an entire election cycle, and

• Allows absentee ballots to be emailed to military and overseas voters.

Brian Kemp was sworn in as Secretary of State in January 2010. Among the office’s wide-ranging responsibilities, the Secretary of State is charged with conducting efficient and secure elections, the registration of corporations, and the regulation of securities and professional license holders. The office also oversees the Georgia Archives and the Capitol Museum.
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FedEx Express Launches Express Your Vote Initiative with Overseas Vote Foundation for the Upcoming 2008 Presidential Election

BUSINESS WIRE--FedEx Express, a subsidiary of FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) and the world’s largest express transportation company, today announced its support of Express Your Vote, an initiative of the Overseas Vote Foundation (OVF), a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to ensuring an estimated six million overseas Americans have the ability to effectively participate in the federal electoral process.

With FedEx supporting this initiative, Americans abroad in 89 countries will be able to access express delivery of their absentee ballots between September 15 – October 29 of the 2008 election year.

The innovative Express Your Vote program will provide American voters abroad the convenience of online shipping, track and trace capabilities, and proactive proof of delivery through the Overseas Vote Foundation Web site, which has been developed with the latest advanced automation solutions from FedEx.

Statistics from the U.S. Election Assistance Commission’s “2006 Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act Report” indicated that the third most common reason for ballots being rejected and not counted was because the ballots were returned to local election offices after the deadline.

“FedEx is committed to delivering innovative solutions to customers all over the world,” said Rajesh Subramaniam, senior vice president, International Marketing, FedEx Services. “Teaming up with the Overseas Vote Foundation to offer the Express Your Vote initiative is a natural extension of our ongoing commitment to making strategic use of our physical and digital networks to meet the needs of people worldwide.”

“Overseas Vote Foundation is delighted to work with FedEx Express to bring Express Your Vote to U.S. overseas and military absentee voters in 89 countries,” said Susan Dzieduszycka-Suinat, president and CEO of Overseas Vote Foundation. “This initiative will bring tremendous value to overseas and military voters who need access to the unrivaled network and services of FedEx Express.”

For more information on the FedEx Express-Overseas Vote Foundation Express Your Vote initiative and details about access to FedEx services, visit: http://www.overseasvotefoundation.org/ExpressYourVote.

Defense Department Program Informs Overseas Voters

GFP Note: Having the opportunity to cast your vote for the candidate of your choice is one of America's great gifts. If you have a loved one serving our nation overseas, be sure to read this story.

A Defense Department program is working to ensure overseas government employees, civilian contractors, servicemembers and their spouses have all the information they need to make their vote count.

Scott Wiedmann, deputy director and 15-year employee of the Federal Voting Assistance Program, said people deployed to combat or stationed overseas have numerous sources for registration and balloting information.

Every U.S. military installation and individual unit, as well as U.S. embassies, has voting assistance officers to help servicemembers and civilians. Information can also be found on the program's Web site at www.fvap.gov.

This year is particularly important because of the U.S. presidential election approaching in November, Wiedmann noted. "Every vote counts, and a vote in the U.S. is a very powerful vote, so people need to take advantage of it," he said. "Not to diminish the importance of any other country, but certainly, a vote for the U.S. president will have its effect on many issues. Policy decisions made by the U.S. government do have an effect on many other countries around the world."

Military members, especially, should take advantage of their vote, he said. "Their daily lives, their income, their living conditions and their retirement benefits are decided by Congress. So, they should certainly have a choice in who's representing them," he added.

Wiedmann encouraged people turning in absentee ballots to act as early as possible to ensure enough time for their ballots and registration requests to process. The earlier one starts the process, the more time election officials have to decide whether the applicant meets the jurisdiction requirements to vote, he explained. Early application allows enough time for such issues to be resolved, he added.

"As long as people get their ballot requests in at least 30 days before the election, no state will be too late," Wiedmann said. "Thirty days is the maximum timeline for registration and ballot requests."

The primary procedure for all 55 U.S. states and territories is to process registrations and ballots by mail, but many states are working with the Defense Department and allowing servicemembers and overseas voters to request by e-mail and fax, he said.

If voters don't receive their ballots in a timely manner, they can request backup ballots on the program's Web site as well as at every military installation and U.S. embassies worldwide, he added.

By Army Staff Sgt. Michael J. Carden
American Forces Press Service