WASHINGTON D.C. — With just days until Election Day, Republican lawmakers are pressuring the Pentagon to address complaints from military service members who say they have not received adequate support to vote while deployed. GOP Representatives Brian Mast (R-FL), Bill Huizenga (R-MI), and Mike Waltz (R-FL) sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, voicing "grave concern over deficiencies in the Defense Department’s protocols" for absentee voting assistance.
The letter outlines several obstacles faced by service members, including an apparent lack of resources and guidance for voting while deployed. Lawmakers reported that military personnel were not given sufficient information on registering to vote, requesting absentee ballots, or using a federal write-in absentee ballot if state ballots did not arrive in time. Some service members indicated that base stockpiles of these ballots were depleted and had not been restocked, effectively denying them the opportunity to participate in the upcoming election.
"Our nation’s brave men and women in uniform have alerted us to these shortcomings," the lawmakers wrote. "They are not only deprived of resources but also of the necessary education on voting procedures, potentially disenfranchising them."
The lawmakers also criticized the Biden administration’s priorities, arguing that while federal resources were allocated to oppose certain state election integrity measures, less effort was put into ensuring that deployed service members could vote. Rep. Mast, a veteran who lost both his legs in Afghanistan, called the situation "unacceptable," noting that service members should be given every opportunity to vote, as they ultimately answer to the commander-in-chief elected by the people.
The lawmakers demanded that the Pentagon immediately mobilize resources to address these issues. They specifically called on Austin to clarify training protocols provided to Voting Assistance Officers (VAOs), ensure sufficient supplies of absentee ballots on all military bases, and provide online resources so service members could familiarize themselves with voting options.
Huizenga expressed frustration, stating, "This is another example of the Biden-Harris Administration’s failure to prioritize the needs of our military." Waltz, a retired Army Green Beret with 27 years of service, 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."
The Pentagon, through an official statement to Fox News, responded that its Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) has trained over 3,000 Voting Assistance Officers across military installations for the 2024 election cycle. These officers are responsible for helping service members navigate voting procedures, including access to the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot if their state-issued absentee ballot does not arrive.
A Defense official emphasized that "stocks of voting materials and supplies at military installations are based on local demand" and that service members can access printable copies of the absentee ballot online. The official added that absentee ballots are given priority for expedited mail delivery under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, which ensures service members are notified about election timelines.
With Election Day imminent, the GOP lawmakers stressed the urgency of the situation, insisting that service members must have every opportunity to exercise their voting rights. This situation, they argued, underscores a broader concern about ensuring adequate support for deployed service members who wish to participate in the democratic process.
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