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Legislature Supports Military Voting

(JUNEAU) - The Alaska House unanimously passed a resolution on Monday urging the Department of Defense (DoD) to 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 successfully 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. "The men and women in the military dedicate themselves to the protection of our country. "We shouldn't make it harder for them to vote."

"This directive is already causing concern in Anchorage, where municipal elections will be taking place in April," said Rep. Lisa Murkowski, (R-Anchorage). "Elections officials are still not sure if they will be able to put polling stations in the schools on Elmendorf and Fort Richardson where they have always been allowed in the past. The schools aren't even military property anymore, but this directive might still prevent military personnel from voting in their own precincts."

Senate Joint Resolution 8, sponsored by Leman, urges the President of the United States, the Secretary of Defense and Congress to work together to rescind the DoD directive. It passed the House with a minor amendment and will return to the Senate for concurrence.

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Attachments:

• Sponsor Statement for SJR 8
  
• Print Friendly Version
  requires Adobe Acrobat Reader - 1 page(s) - 113 K

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