Military ballots should be counted
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Voter disenfranchisement is wrong and has no place in American politics. But we often overlook voter disenfranchisement that happens to a group of people because they don’t fit the “usual” profile.
Fairfax Co. Registrar Rokey Suleman II has decided to reject our military soldier’s absentee ballots. In fact, many of the ballots he's not counting are those from military personnel serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. Mr. Suleman is using a technicality, citing the need for military to obtain a witness address on absentee ballots, to throw out hundreds of our brave soldier’s votes.
The fact is, a witness address is not required on a normal absentee ballot, but Suleman says it is required on federal write-in absentee ballots typically used by military members.
His response- “It stinks, but it's the law.” A more accurate response is- “It is voter disenfranchisement, and that stinks”
Voter disenfranchisement in any form is wrong, but the fact that there are those that look to take away the right to vote from the very people that are fighting to defend this important American principal is deplorable.
It is time that the Virginia Secretary State’s Office steps in to remove Mr. Suleman from his “non-partisan” position. Virginia has always been a state blessed with large population of servicemen; it is time those in Virginia to defend our servicemen’s fundamental right to vote, as they defend our fundamental right to freedom.
So again, no matter whom you support in this election, as Virginians we should always remember to support the rights of our troops
Debra P. Ackerman
Fairfax County Resident
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