With just four days left until Election Day, Republican lawmakers are voicing concerns about the military voting process. According to three GOP congressmen, active duty service members are facing challenges in casting their ballots on time due to inadequate resources. These lawmakers, including Rep. Brian Mast, Rep. Bill Huizenga, and Mike Waltz, have written a letter to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin expressing their worries about deficiencies in the Defense Department’s protocols.
The congressmen highlight issues such as a depleted stockpile of write-in absentee ballots on at least one military base that has not been replenished. They emphasize the importance of ensuring that military personnel, whom they refer to as the nation’s “elite warriors,” have every opportunity to vote. The lawmakers are calling on the Department of Defense to mobilize all necessary resources to facilitate the voting process for service members.
In their letter, the Republicans also raise questions about the training and guidance provided to service members regarding voting procedures. They inquire about the availability of federal write-in absentee ballots nationwide and whether service members have enough time to review their voting options before the election. Additionally, they seek clarification on the resources allocated to each unit’s Voting Assistance Office.
The lawmakers criticize the Biden-Harris administration for failing to adequately support military personnel in exercising their right to vote. They argue that the administration’s focus on legal challenges to state-level election integrity measures has hindered efforts to ensure that service members can participate in the electoral process. Rep. Brian Mast, a military veteran who lost both his legs in Afghanistan, stresses the importance of enabling all service members to vote for the next commander-in-chief.
Rep. Mike Waltz, who served in the U.S. Army and National Guard, echoes Mast’s sentiments, emphasizing the need to provide service members with the necessary information and tools to cast their ballots. Rep. Bill Huizenga also condemns the administration’s handling of the situation, describing it as “completely unacceptable.”
Overall, the concerns raised by these Republican lawmakers shed light on the challenges faced by active-duty service members in exercising their right to vote. The issue underscores the importance of ensuring that military personnel have access to the resources and support needed to participate in the democratic process. By addressing these concerns, the Department of Defense can help uphold the voting rights of the nation’s servicemen and women.
