Advocates for overseas military families, ex-pats push back against GOP suits over absentee votes

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: ABC News

October 19, 2024, 6:04 AM


Some ex-pats living abroad, including active-duty service members and their family members, are sounding the alarm after Republicans in three swing states have tried to delay accepting and counting overseas absentee ballots.

And there is already fear among Americans at home and abroad that no matter what the result, the damage has already been done, according to Sarah Streyder, the executive director of Secure Families Initiative, a nonpartisan non-profit that advocates for military families' rights.

"We are already hearing military voters from all states who feel discouraged from participating, if they have concern that their ballot won't even be counted," Streyder, who is stationed in England with her husband a Space Force member, told reporters in a video news conference with other advocates Friday.

Election officials and other political science experts say the suits filed in Pennsylvania, Michigan and North Carolina in the last couple of weeks have no merit. The Republican plaintiffs, however, claim state election offices created loopholes that could allow ineligible people to vote through overseas absentee ballots.

Read more: https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/advocates-overseas-military-families-pats-push-back-gop/story?id=114933449

[ailsagirl]

1. Is there nothing they won't do to disenfranchise voters??

[duncang]

2. Soldiers, ex-pats, and embassy personnel

Are on the list. Even people who are working overseas temporarily. My brother worked on several projects over several decades overseas.

[70sEraVet]

3. It sounds like the GOP is not too confident that military personell will....

vote Republican.
Is our military too 'woke' ( )??
Perhaps the Orange Traitor shouldn't have let the cat out of the bag, bragging at how he would use the military to crush opposition.

[InstantGratification]

7. It's not that military overseas won't break republican, they will.

Military units have someone appointed to be a voter information officer. I don't remember the real name, the point is they have someone tasked to get out the word and provide assistance to those who want to vote. That results in a higher % of the voters in those younger age groups turning out than you would expect in the civilian population of those age groups.

The thing is contractors and expats living overseas who have voted in low numbers in years past, have started turning out more because of outreach programs that give them the same kind of help the GIs have and they are going democrat enough that they drown out the military voters. The overseas votes used to deliver a small but measurable edge to republicans, now it has flipped.

The result? Republicans who used to be staunch supporters of overseas voting, are now willing to throw the military voters under the bus if they can stop the civilian overseas voters from voting as well.

[Diraven]

4. This never made sense to me

Republicans gleefully will throw out thousands of legitimate votes just to try to keep literally single digits of fraudulent votes from being counted.

[Dem2theMax]

5. They aren't worried about fraudulent votes. That's their excuse.

They are worried that too many Democrats will vote, and thereby win. So they are trying to throw out every vote they can, everywhere they can.

[Indykatie]

6. The Idea of NOT Voting Because You Fear Your Vote Won't Be Counted is Silly n/t

[slightlv]

8. No, not silly. Totally frustrating and disempowering. It takes a toll.

[littlemissmartypants]

9. And unpatriotic. ...

What they are doing by attacking the process is not only unpatriotic but also antidemocratic.

Chipping away at 250 years of America by attacking our rights, one by one. Voting, freedom of speech, assembly, self-determination, etc. are All under attack. Voting is the linchpin that ties them together.

If they are successful in destroying each one to the point of critical mass, they are hoping for all of them to fall, but voting is the most critical.

'Your voice, your vote' isn't just an electioneering slogan anymore. Today, we should consider it a warning.

It makes one wonder if someone is considering not voting either, they have a poor understanding of how democracy works, they are unconcerned about their fellow citizens or could possibly be antidemocratic and unpatriotic.

It appears to mean that they don't believe in the promise of America at all.

[republianmushroom]

10. Well, it n is what the convicted felon and fellow republicans feel about the military.

[Martin68]

11. I lived overseas. Our votes should count.

[BlueMTexpat]

13. THEY DO!

I sent my ballot in right away after receiving it by email in September.

I have since received confirmation of receipt from the Maryland State Board of Elections. They will also let me know when my vote has been counted.

If you haven't already registered to vote and you are an eligible voter with US citizenship who lives abroad, see here ASAP: https://www.votefromabroad.org/

[Figarosmom]

12. Jesus H Chirst ive had it

With Republicans cheating now cheating military and others doing work for the country at embassies etc. It's not right. I though trump said the military LOVES HIM so what is he so afraid of? All states they are afraid of losing.