Press Release: Senate Supports Military Voting

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Anchorage, AK 99501-2133
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For Immediate Release: February 5, 2001

Contact: Senator Loren Leman at (907) 465-2095

(JUNEAU) -- The Alaska Senate passed a resolution on Monday urging the Department of Defense (DoD) rescind a directive that makes voting more difficult for active duty military members and their families.

The directive, issued before the last election, advised installation commanders not to allow their facilities to be used for polling places. U.S. Senator Ted Stevens offered an amendment to postpone the effective date to Dec. 31, 2000 through an insertion in an appropriations bill, but now the directive is in full effect.

"People should be allowed to vote in their neighborhood precincts," said Senator Loren Leman (R-Anchorage). "If the impact of this directive is to prevent election officials access to schools and other facilities on base where polls have been set up in the past, then military personnel who live on base will have to leave their neighborhoods to vote."

"The men and women in the military dedicate themselves to the protection of our country," said Leman. "We shouldn't make it harder for them to vote."

Senate Joint Resolution 8, sponsored by Leman, urges the President of the United States and the Secretary of Defense to rescind the DoD directive.

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Attachments:

Sponsor Statement for SJR 8

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