Overseas ballots may arrive late for Ga. runoff

[unhappycamper]

Overseas ballots may arrive late for Ga. runoff
By Leo Shane III and Geoff Ziezulewicz, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Tuesday, November 18, 2008

WASHINGTON — Overseas voters registered in Georgia will be receiving ballots in the next few days for the state’s U.S. Senate runoff election, but it might not be soon enough to have their vote counted.

Georgia election officials automatically mailed out the absentee ballots this week to overseas military who voted in the presidential election, so they could help decide the race between incumbent Republican Sen. Saxby Chambliss and Democratic challenger Jim Martin.

The runoff, set for Dec. 2, is being held because while Chambliss received nearly 110,000 more votes than Martin in the November election, he did not receive the state-required 50 percent of the total votes cast to win the office.

Matt Carrothers, spokesman for the Georgia Secretary of State, said the absentee ballots were mailed out as soon as the language was finalized in order to give all residents a chance to vote.

However, the ballots must be delivered to polling places no later than Dec. 5, creating a problem for overseas military who may not receive the ballots until around Thanksgiving.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=58897

[LiberalFighter]

1. It's great that they were able to vote in the general election.

But they should not expect the election boards to make allowances just for them. The same for those living overseas or are outside the state at the time of the runoff election.

Those living abroad will also have their ballot delayed.
Those that have begun a work assignment outside the state will be effected.
Those that have gone on vacation and may not be back in time for the runoff election.

It is the nature of events that people cannot all participate.