With just days left until Election Day, reports are emerging that military service members have raised concerns over not receiving enough absentee ballots to cast their votes in time for Election Day.
Reps. Brian Mast (R-Fla), Bill Huizenga (R-Mich), and Mike Waltz (R-Fla) have sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, expressing “grave concern” over what they describe as “deficiencies in the Defense Department’s protocols” for military absentee voting. The letter highlighted the fact that the stockpile of absentee ballots has reportedly been “depleted and not replenished,” likely having a negative impact upon service members’ ability to vote.
Dear Secretary Austin,
We write with grave concern over deficiencies in the Defense Department's protocols and procedures allowing active-duty service members to vote ahead of the November Sth general election. Specifically, we are concerned the Pentagon has not done enough to make our service members aware of their options for voting nor has it committed enough resources so the men and women wearing our nation's uniform can exercise their right to vote.
Our nation's brave men and women in uniform brought to our attention that there has been inadequate education at the administrative level on how to register to vote, request an absentee ballot, and fill in a federal write-in absentee ballot if their state-issued ballot does not arrive in time. Other service members also stated that when a request for a federal write-in absentee ballot was made, they were told the base's stockpile of such ballots was depleted and had not been replenished.
We have heard similar complaints from other service members. The Pentagon must do everything in its power, so our nation's elite warriors have every opportunity to make their voices heard this election cycle. This is especially important since voters will be deciding our next commander-in-chief — the person who will be making life-and-death decisions for our troops.
The letter urged the Pentagon to take immediate action to ensure our overseas military members have the opportunity to vote in the upcoming election. However, with only three days remaining, it's questionable whether that's possible.
“Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have mobilized federal manpower, resources, and tax dollars to block state-level election integrity measures, including in Georgia and Virginia, through lawsuits and smears,” Rep. Mast said in a statement. “They claim to care about democracy and the right to vote, yet they’ve failed to plan accordingly to facilitate the right to vote for every single one of our nation’s brave men and women in uniform. Our nation’s elite warriors deserve to have every opportunity to vote for the next commander-in-chief, especially since that person will be making life-and-death decisions for our troops.”
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“Both Joe Biden & Kamala Harris have dismissed our warfighters serving in combat zones by either falsely claiming the U.S. has suffered no casualties under this administration or by claiming thousands of these service members aren’t in active combat zones,” Rep. Waltz added. “We need assurances these service members who are putting their lives on the line for our country have the information and tools they need to cast their ballot to vote.”
This is unacceptable, and it's hard to dismiss it a mere accidental oversight. Military members are known for leaning Republican, and with this election expected to be close, I honestly wouldn't put it past the Biden-Harris administration to try to tip the scales in Kamala's favor any way they can.
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