Thursday, September 28, 2006

USATODAY.com - Overseas voting a concern again


USATODAY.com - Overseas voting a concern again: "Six years after problems counting overseas votes clouded the 2000 presidential election, U.S. troops and other Americans abroad face tight timetables and emerging technologies that still make it difficult to have their votes counted."

The article goes on to discuss tight timelines in absentee balloting making it difficult to qualify. My experience bears this out. I will be overseas during the election this year. Obviously I consider this to be a VERY important race.

California won't accept my absentee ballot application until October 9th - just 30 days before the election. Knowing the mind-boggling ineffeciency of Los Angeles city government, I have grave doubts that they will return my ballot to me before I leave the country on the 26th.

Imagine how much worse it is for those stationed overseas, who can't walk into the local dept of elections office with thier application in hand.