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Steele’s legislation will help Hoosier military personnel vote via email from overseas

September 22, 2008

STATEHOUSE — More than 3,000 Hoosiers serving overseas in our armed services will be able to vote via e-mail for the first time in the November general election thanks to legislation authored by Sen. Brent Steele (R-Bedford). 

Steele’s Senate Enrolled Act 419, passed in 2005 by the General Assembly, allows members of the military currently serving away from home to vote absentee via e-mail or fax. Indiana is currently one of only 10 states which allow absentee ballots to be cast electronically. 

“Sadly, officials estimate more than 1 million absentee ballots cast in the 2006 election arrived too late to be counted,” Steele said. “This law ensures our brave men and women in uniform, who fight every day to defend our right to vote, will have their ballots counted.”  

An “absent uniformed services voter” is defined as:

Ø      A member of the armed services or merchant marine stationed overseas or away from their permanent residence due to service; 

 Ø      A National Guardsman deployed outside of Indiana; and  

Ø      A spouse or dependent of the above

According to Steele, Indiana law allows servicemen and women to receive and return ballots via e-mail using a program operated by the Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) of the U.S. Department of Defense. 

For the complete 2008 Military & Overseas Voter’s Guide, including absentee voting applications, please visit http://www.in.gov/sos/elections/pdfs/movg_08.pdf 

 For military personnel to vote absentee by fax or e-mail for the Nov. 4, 2008 general election, they must return the absentee ballot request form by fax or return the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) via e-mail no later than 12 noon on Monday, Nov. 3, 2008.    

 

Paid for and authorized by the Senate Majority Campaign Committee.
Contributions are not deductible for tax purposes.