Board of Elections gaffe may nullify New York soldiers' overseas absentee ballots

The Board of Elections is facing another "royal screwup" - this time for failing to ship absentee ballots to New York troops serving overseas.

"Our troops sacrifice their lives to protect our freedoms. They should never, ever be denied the right to vote," said Sen. Chuck Schumer, who pushed a 2009 law establishing deadlines for mailing absentee ballots.

New York election officials were required to ship the ballots to U.S. citizens living overseas by Sept. 17. Because New York primaries were held Sept. 14, the feds granted local officials an extension until Oct. 1.

Several New York counties blew past the extension - including the city's five boroughs.

Schumer urged election officials to rush delivery of the ballots to ensure that military votes are counted.

"Put these ballots on the next plane to Afghanistan," Schumer demanded. "There is absolutely no excuse for failing to get this done."

NY DailyNews.com

I find this appalling that when our sons, daughters, brothers and sisters are overseas, doing their duty to serve the nation, that the Board of Elections can "forget" to send them absentee ballots for the upcoming mid-term elections. When our military personnel are on our minds constantly and on the news day in and day out, an agency that's in charge of making sure every regiserted voter has the chance to cast their vote, can forget about our troops.

Don't try and say that "we're all human and are subject to mistakes." This is not a mistake. This is downright dereliction of duty. This is downright laziness. This is downright a criminal act. This is something that has no excuse for. While Chuck Schumer is not a person that I agree with all the time, I do agree with him on this deal. There is absolutely no reason to why these ballots haven't been sent already. Especially when election and military are the main subjects of the news lately. Election and military. Election and military.

Whoever is responsible for this should join the ranks of the unemployed after going to jail. This is, IMO, a criminal act. Anyone here think that compromising a persons right to vote is an act that should be punishable by jail time? Like I said, there is absolutely no reason at all our soldiers overseas should not have recieved their absentee ballots by now. None.

I see that this topic is already being discussed here. When I saw the news article, I didn't realize it was already in the forums.

Above Top Secret

To the Mods: Trash this thread. I t really doesn't need to take up space.