Military struggles over its Right to Vote
MOVE Act requires reapplying every year, available information confusing
By Lyn Bliss
Photos by Bob Robinson 

“The time involved makes it impossible for many military personnel to have their votes counted,” said Elaine Herrick while speaking to the Darke County Republican Men’s Club (DCRMC) Saturday. 

Herrick addressed the regular monthly meeting of the DCRMC regarding voting rights for the military, voter fraud and voter registrations. Herrick has Chaired and Co-chaired many state-wide and county-wide campaigns in Montgomery County.  She specializes in grassroots politics and has personally registered over 1,000 new voters.   Herrick has in-depth knowledge regarding voter requirements and voter fraud. 

Military members have had a problem voting since the time of Lincoln, who recognized this issue and started the concept of absentee voting. Lincoln also allowed military personnel to travel home to vote if their state did not allow absentee voting. However, our current military struggles to vote – mainly due to the MOVE Act which requires them to reapply each and every year for an absentee ballot. The application must be submitted in the same calendar year as the election. Many will not be getting a ballot this year because of the confusion over implementation of this new law. 

Military ballot applications may be obtained online and come with postage paid for their return. They may not be filed electronically; they must have the actual signature of the voter. Currently there are 41,000 service members from Ohio, with an additional 12,000 voting family members. Less than 5,000 of those are currently registered. There are also 141,000 Ohio civilians overseas as contractors, who use the same forms as the military. At this point, military/overseas can vote electronically only for President and state-wide federal office holders (Senator), but no other. Herrick mentioned that our state lawmakers could pass legislation allowing electronic voting (fax or digitally encrypted) by military and overseas personnel. 

Due to the confusion over this new “same calendar year requirement,” 50 percent of military ballots did not get back in time to be counted for the March election. Since then, in Montgomery County, the absentee voter records were accessed and notices sent to those military personnel, and spouses, who voted in 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011. Military absentee ballots may be cast by September 1, if they have been requested in a timely manner. 

Recruiting stations are also supposed to have applications available for inductees to cover any confusion from this new law. However, in some states, there have been no applications filed by recruiting stations. 

Additionally, when the form is downloaded from the website, there is no name or address provided for the applicant to use in returning the form. She has contacted Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted regarding this, and that office has provided address labels to be affixed to the forms that are being included in care packages. Herrick also identified that the name and address for Montgomery County Elections is listed incorrectly on the federal website. 

Herrick suggested that absentee ballot applications be included in all care packages. Requests sent to any state will be forwarded on to the service member’s state of residence.  She had been doing this, until she was denied copies of more applications due to the paperwork reduction act. Now, copies of forms can only be given out up to a percentage based upon the population of a county. Once that number of forms has been given out, no one else can obtain copies. 

She concluded that there is much that needs to be done to make sure that our men and women in uniform are not denied their vote by requirements they are unable to fulfill.  

“Please share the information that our military and their families must apply for absentee ballots each calendar year. Tell all your friends to also tell anyone they know,“  said Herrick.