Governor Rendell Expands Ballot Access for Military Voters

Press Release

Governor Rendell Expands Ballot Access for Military Voters

Governor Edward G. Rendell is helping military voters participate in November's historic election by providing new options that will ease and expedite the absentee ballot request process.

"Every day, Pennsylvanians who are in the military and deployed in warzones around the world put their lives on the line. Of the battles they face each day, having the means to vote should not be one of them," Governor Rendell said. "Today I am continuing my six-year effort to remove barriers to voting so that these men and women can exercise the right to vote."

In August, the Rendell administration reviewed an innovative, secure online tool, offered by the Federal Voting Assistance Program at the Department of Defense, that provides military, as well as overseas civilian voters, the option of requesting and/or receiving absentee ballots electronically through the program's Web site. The administration notified the organization that Pennsylvania would allow and encourage its counties to use the tool because it helps simplify the process. As of today, at least 33 counties, including Philadelphia and Allegheny, are participating.

The remaining 34 counties still may choose to participate. Military voters should contact their county board of elections to find out if it has opted to offer the electronic absentee ballot request form and delivery service.

Governor Rendell also asked the Department of State to review the options for receipt of absentee ballot application requests so that those in the military have more flexibility when mailing in their ballots. In response, the department has determined the counties can accept completed absentee ballots mailed via express or overnight delivery and it has advised the counties to accept these ballots. Previously, each county determined if it would or would not accept ballots mailed using carriers other than the U.S. Postal Service.

County boards of elections began mailing absentee ballots to qualified electors, including military voters, on Aug. 26. Qualified military or overseas civilian voters may apply for an absentee ballot any time prior to Election Day on Nov. 4. Completed absentee ballots must be postmarked by Nov. 3 and received by the elector's county board of elections by Nov. 12.

State law requires military members and overseas civilians to print, complete, sign and return the original absentee voter's request form and the voted absentee ballot to the elector's county board of elections.

During Armed Forces Voters Week, Aug. 31 - Sept. 7, the Rendell administration urged all military voters to prepare early to participate in the Nov. 4 General Election. The administration also will contact the more than 1,500 Pennsylvania National Guard members deployed around the world. Additional outreach efforts include advertising targeting Pennsylvanians serving in all branches of the U.S. Military.

Absentee ballot information is available through the Federal Voting Assistance Program's Web site, www.fvap.gov. The organization provides voting assistance for uniformed service members, their families and citizens living outside the United States. To create an account and use the electronic absentee ballot request form of the Web site, select, on the right-hand side of the page, "Use Our New Automated Tool to Register/Request a Ballot" under the "Quick Links" menu.

Military voters can access additional absentee ballot information and county boards of elections contact information through the Department of State's online voter information and resource center, VotesPA.com. To locate guidance specific to military voters, select "Member of the Military" from the "I Am …" pull-down menu. Information for civilian overseas voters is available by selecting "Overseas Civilian Voter" from the "I Am…" pull-down menu.

For more information about the PA Department of State, including details about its 2008 Vote with a Vet program, which places the biographies of military veterans into the hands of Pennsylvania's voting-age students, visit www.dos.state.pa.us and www.dos.state.pa.us/votewithavet, respectively.

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