Military could make significant impact on mid-term elections

By David Vergun, ARNEWSOctober 31, 2014

Voter ID important
1 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – This year, a number of states require not just an identification card, but an ID card with photo. Others just require an ID. A military ID card for retirees or family members and a Common Access Card would seem to fulfill those requirements, but "bec... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Pride in voting
2 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

WASHINGTON (Army News Service, Oct. 30, 2014) -- With all 435 U.S. House seats and more than a third of the Senate in play on election day, Nov. 4, the more than 2 million members of the active component and reserve component of the military could make a difference in many of those outcomes -- if they vote.

And, that does not include the many millions more who are military family members, Defense Department civilians and contractors, as well as retirees and their families.

While this is not a national presidential election year, there are many other excellent reasons Soldiers and others should be motivated to send their votes home, said Rachel R. Gilman, Army voting action officer at Human Resources Command, Fort Knox, Kentucky.

Besides the congressional elections, she pointed out that there are a number of state and local candidates, as well as important local issues waiting to be decided. Also, voting can instill a sense of civic pride.

Many Soldiers and their families already have plans to go to their local polling places, but for those who can't, Gilman encouraged them to either see their unit voting assistance officers or local election officials for more information or request absentee ballots.

Getting an absentee ballot as well as getting all the necessary information for voting is actually pretty easy, she said. It's all in one place, at www.fvap.gov.

For immediate access to a ballot, visit http://www.fvap.gov/military-voter/registration-ballots. Then, click on the applicable state or U.S. territory and complete instructions will be provided.

VOTER ID

This year, a number of states require not just an identification card, but an ID card with photo. A military ID card and a Common Access Card would seem to fulfill those requirements, but "because states run elections, each state individually determines the acceptable forms of identification," said Katherine J. Nigro, DOD Federal Voting Assistance Program public affairs specialist.

Nigro suggests voters contact their state "to see if they can use their military ID and/or CAC." To contact a state or local election official, she advises voters to visit: http://www.fvap.gov/info/contact.

Besides voter ID, Nigro noted that "some states may require that there be proof of residence (or other information not provided on a CAC) -- some states may technically accept a CAC, but smaller voting precincts may not be familiar with it as a federally-issued ID and tell the voter he/she needs to provide a different form of ID. Further, not all States require voter ID."

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Related Links:

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STAND-TO!: The Army Voting Assistance Program

Federal Voting Assistance Office: Installation Voter Assistance Office Contact Information

Federal Voting Assistance Office: Military Voter

<b>Federal Voting Assistance OfficeVoter Registration and Ballots</b>