NEW: Doherty Calls on State to Commit to MOVE Act for Veterans
Friday, November 11, 2011
Brendan Doherty, Republican Candidate for Rhode Island’s first Congressional District today called on Secretary of State Ralph Mollis and the members of the Rhode Island General Assembly to honor our nation’s veterans this Veteran’s Day by committing to ensure the State’s compliance with the federal MOVE Act. The MOVE Act was enacted in 2009 to protect the voting rights of military service members and their families regardless of where they are stationed. The MOVE Act requires states to provide absentee ballots to military personnel overseas and others who are protected by the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act no later than forty-five days before a federal election.
“There would be no better way to honor Veteran’s Day this year than to ensure that Rhode Island’s active duty military personnel are guaranteed the right to vote in accordance with federal law,” stated Doherty. “The right to vote is the foundation of our freedom as Americans. As we honor the sacrifices made by generations of veterans to protect that very freedom, we must ensure that our current military personnel are guaranteed their own right to vote,” continued Doherty.
Rhode Island was one of twelve states (including Washington, DC and the U.S. Virgin Islands) that was at risk of non-compliance and sought a waiver from the requirements of the MOVE Act for the 2010 elections. Rhode Island’s request was based in part on “the hardship due to a late primary” and in response, Rhode Island was among five states that were granted waivers in 2010. In granting the waiver, the Department of Defense cautioned; however, that Rhode Island was receiving a “one-time undue hardship waiver.”
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTIn a report made after the 2010 elections, the Rhode Island Secretary of State informed the U.S. Department of Defense that ballots were available to Rhode Island’s overseas active duty military personnel thirty nine days prior to Election Day. Although, Rhode Island was determined to have been in compliance with the terms of its waiver, fewer than 70% of the overseas military ballots requested by Rhode Island voters in the 2010 elections were actually counted.
“I acknowledge the efforts of the Secretary of State to secure and comply with the terms of the MOVE Act waiver in 2010,” continued Doherty, “but Rhode Island must find a permanent solution to this issue and I call on Secretary Mollis and the General Assembly to take action now. We should not be in a last minute scramble to provide ballots to our soldiers overseas and we cannot rely on any future waiver of the MOVE Act. If our primary elections are too late, then we should follow the lead of states such as Massachusetts that have moved their primary elections to ensure compliance with the MOVE Act,” concluded Doherty.
Rhode Island is one of few states that have failed to take any action to ensure future compliance with the MOVE Act.
