Judge orders state to count disputed absentee ballots
Published: October 16, 2009
Updated: October 16, 2009
A federal judge has ordered the state to count absentee ballots that were mailed too late to overseas military personnel last year.
U.S. District Judge Richard L. Williams said the state’s failure to mail more than 2,000 absentee ballots at least 30 days before the election violated the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act.
“The right to vote means a right to cast a ballot that will be counted,“ Williams said in an order entered yesterday in a case originally brought by the John McCain campaign. He said the state “offended these voters’ prized right to vote in a federal election.“
After the election he dismissed the McCain campaign from the suit, and allowed the Justice Department to intervene.
Counting the ballots is not expected to change the outcome of any race.
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Virginia “conservatives” are the biggest bunch of whiny crybabies I have ever seen. They lost the last vote, just like they LOST the Civil War (Yes, they LOST), and can not accept it. Virginia will continue to slide backward if these backwater knuckle-draggers have their way. Grow up, Virginia.
I heard Tim Kaine had a special drawer in his desk where he kept the unmailed ballots, and every day he opened it and laughed maniacally while looking at the ballots: “Moooooooohahahahaha, now I’ve won the election for Obama!“
I would add that while the absentee ballots of those serving in the military overseas were mailed late and while state jobs were cut back in September of last year, Governor Kaine conveniently was able to hire five employees whose main duty was to expedite voting rights for felons. How nice that the voting rights of felons whom have harmed society (some of whom committed crimes once released)are more important than the voting rights of those serving our country. It is deplorable and dirty politics.
12step… I was being facetious. My point was there should never be a question about counting military votes. They lay their lives on the line for us every day on fields of battle citizens would never approach; they deserve to be heard no matter what, and politicians should NEVER question whether they should be counted.
What about the absentee ballots that were received late by non-military voters because of delays in delivery? All votes are important, no matter what the profession of the voter or the reason that an absentee ballot was requested. Preferential treatment of one type of voter creates a slippery slope and the potential for the creation of a certain protected class of voters. This ruling gives even more reason that we all need the ability to vote early - starting 60 days before the election would better protect the ability of military voters and all voters to receive their ballots and return them in a timely manner. Maybe the military should contract and pay for those military voters to use a traceable means to return their ballots in a timely manner.
Our military men and women’s vote should always count
Mikey: Read the ruling on Bush v. Gore. The answer to your question is within. In short, political expediency is a greater consideration than the results of a recount.
This is yet another example of the Warner/Kaine Tradition that Deeds would like to carry on. Kaine should’ve been impeached for voter fraud and voter discrimination. Well, since it’s so close to election day I suppose we can put up with Tiny Timmy until the new year and our new REAL Governor Bob McDonnell takes over ! Warner and Kaine have made such a mess of things here in Virginia so they both really deserve to be up in Washington where all the other leeches are. Look out here comes Bubba Bill again trying to get the “ Bubba Vote “ for Deeds in Virginia. Nobody is fooled by this because truth be told Bubba Bill despises these voters but luvs the votes. Deeds most likely shares the same sentiment as Bubbba Bill.
So if this, theoretically, changed the outcome of the presidential race, would Obama have to give up the presidency after 10 months as president?
This just means it would have been nice to follow the law 11 1/2 months ago.
VA Conservative asked, “what penalty or sanction will the Commonwealth receive?“ I propose that Gov Timmy be spanked in front of the “Massive Resistance” statue at noon on Jan 1.
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