better chance of their votes counting than our military men and women.
Philadelphia, PA
WCAU-TV
Soldiers Worried About Ballots Getting Back In Time
WCAU-TVPHILADELPHIA - The war in Iraq is a big issue in the presidential race and many soldiers fighting overseas are worried that their vote may not get counted in Pennsylvania.
There are over 26,000 troops from Pennsylvania overseas and ballots were sent to them late because of a controversy over whether Ralph Nader should be included on the ballot.
Rep. Curt Weldon, a Republican, was in downtown Philadelphia Wednesday. He angrily accused Gov. Ed Rendell, a Democrat, of not supporting a lawsuit that would guarantee those votes would be counted if the ballots come back late because some may have been sent out late by the state.
"It's an absolute disgrace in America that the families of people serving our country would have to file a lawsuit to guarantee their sons and daughters' vote. And I'm ashamed of Ed Rendell that he would say, 'Let them file a lawsuit.' They shouldn't have to file a lawsuit," Weldon said.
The governor said that there is no credible evidence that absentee ballots will not get back to the United States in time.
Some family members of troops disagree. One woman told NBC 10 News that it takes from 14 to 21 days for mail to get to the United States from Iraq.
Weldon took issue with a memo Rendell sent to all state prisons to make sure all but convicted felons vote by absentee ballot.
"So the prisoners can vote, but our veterans overseas, who are defending America, cannot vote? That's outrageous and we're not going to stand for it," Weldon said.
Weldon then delivered letters to Rendell's Philadelphia office asking him for his support.
"It's not politics. This is your right to vote. They're risking their lives to enable other people to see what we have and they're being denied that," Weldon said. Even if he wanted to, Rendell cannot declare that votes that come in late will be counted. It has to be decided by a court.
JonR
