[ad_1]
The US electoral system has its own peculiarities, which should be clear after several days of counting. One of these is just now, towards the end, pushing itself into the foreground: the possible late influence of ballot papers of military personnel who are outside the United States and whose letters are accepted in most states even after election day .
His remarks are among the latest to be counted in Pennsylvania and Georgia, among others. In states where Donald Trump and Joe Biden’s results are only a few thousand votes apart, they could therefore play a decisive role.
In the United States, it has traditionally been a top priority to give military personnel the choice, no matter where they are. President Abraham Lincoln sent soldiers home to vote during the American Civil War if there were no alternatives.
Ballot papers from abroad have special deadlines
In 1942, Congress first passed a law that guaranteed members of the military to vote in federal elections during military operations. Since 2009, all states have been legally obliged to create a system that provides military personnel and other citizens abroad with postal voting documents.
According to Count Every Hero, 28 states and the District of Columbia accept overseas ballots even if they arrive after election day. In Georgia, for example, where Trump and Biden are currently close to par, ballot papers from abroad are accepted up to three days after election day. North Carolina will consider votes received by November 12, Pennsylvania by November 10. The only requirement is that the letters have been stamped on election day at the latest.
It is to be expected that overdue ballots will therefore include many votes from members of the military. According to a report by Count Every Hero, it takes an average of six days for the voting documents to arrive from abroad. The organization is a non-partisan group that works to protect the right to vote for members of the military.
Is Trump Getting A Boost From Military Postal Voters?
If Trump and Biden are only a few thousand votes apart in one state, it is at least theoretically conceivable that the postal votes of military personnel will make themselves felt. In 2016, Georgia received more than 5,600 ballots from members of the military, according to the United States Election Assistance Commission. In North Carolina there were nearly 11,000, in Pennsylvania nearly 7,800 and in Nevada about 2,700.
Due to the high turnout, these numbers could be even higher this year. In Georgia, for example, the Secretary of State’s office reported that some 8,900 ballots have been sent to military voters and foreign citizens, which will be readmitted by Friday. According to Fox News, some believe the votes could give Trump another push. However, among the ballot papers, in addition to those of the military, there are also those of civilians who are abroad. In addition, returns that have already arrived have been counted normally.
Trump may have angered many military personnel with his calls to stop the counts, but only after they had already cast their vote. “Any attempt to stop the counts or to rule out mail-order votes affects disproportionately large voters in the military,” said Count Every Hero’s Jack Noland.
Source link
