LANSING – The Michigan House of Representatives today passed comprehensive legislation introduced by House Democrats to make it easier for troops stationed overseas to vote by absentee ballot and to help ensure their ballots arrive in time to count.
"Our military men and women put their lives on the line every day to protect our freedoms – including our right to vote," said State Representative Jennifer Haase (D-Richmond), Vice Chair of the House Ethics and Elections Committee and a sponsor of the legislation. "The least we can do is to make sure that they have the opportunity to exercise this right and participate in the very democracy they are risking their lives to defend."
In the 2008 presidential election, more than a quarter of the ballots requested by U.S. military members stationed abroad and other American voters overseas went uncollected or uncounted, according to Congressional Research Services. In Michigan, of the nearly 21,300 ballots sent, only 15,407 were returned in time to count.
"Short deadlines and long mailing times are standing in the way of our troops stationed overseas being able to vote," said State Representative Dian Slavens (D-Canton), a sponsor of one of the bills. "These are ballots from the brave men and women defending our country who expect to have their voices heard and they deserve better. Our plan will make sure that the votes of those fighting for our freedoms are returned in time to be counted, just like every other American."
The House bills will help ensure that military personnel and citizens living overseas can vote in time by making the following changes:
- Allowing for fast, e-mail transmission of absentee ballots to service members stationed overseas. The service members would then print them, fill them out and mail them back to the clerk.
- Requiring all absentee ballots to be delivered to clerks for distribution at least 45 days in advance of all elections.
- Giving local governments more time to print out ballots in order to send them to military personnel.
"It's an outrage that one out of four ballots sent overseas never made it back home in time to be counted," said State Representative Vincent Gregory (D-Southfield), a sponsor of the legislation. "Many of these were votes that simply went uncollected and uncounted. We've got to do a better job of getting these ballots to our troops and protecting the rights of voters – especially those who are fighting for that very right."
Thirty-two other states already allow for the electronic transmission of absentee ballots to voters.
"It's only right that our military personnel – no matter where they are stationed – can make their votes count back home," said House Majority Floor Leader Kathy Angerer (D-Dundee), Chair of the House Ethics and Elections Committee. "Michigan's men and women in uniform are depending on swift action on these bills and I urge the Senate to join the House in supporting our military."