Red Tape Snarls Vet Voter Registration

Week of October 06, 2008

With the presidential polls a month away, thousands of U.S. war veterans are still wondering whether they will be able to vote for the candidate of their choice. About 100,000 veterans residing in government-run facilities can no longer vote because they cannot register without assistance from volunteers due to disabilities and serious illnesses. Under current law, when a veteran moves into a VA facility, his or her old registration becomes invalid. The veteran must re-register before he or she can vote again. Rights groups say they want to help war veterans with the registration process, but officials at the Department of Veterans Affairs are creating hurdles for them. Last May, the authorities decided to ban nonpartisan voter registration at VA facilities. If passed, the Veteran Voting Support Act would ensure equal opportunity for all war veterans to register to vote and to participate in the Nov. 4 elections. A similar bill was adopted by the House of Representatives on Sep. 17. Read the full article on Military.com.

How do you feel about this action? Let your public officials know how you feel!