Their putting their lives on the line in defense of our country but will their vote be counted in Pennsylvania on election day? Some Republican lawmakers are accusing the Rendell administration of suppressing military votes by not extending the deadline to accept overseas military ballots.
Military personnel traditionally vote Republican and with the presidential race a statistical dead heat in the state, the GOP is eager to get as many votes as possible.
The Republican lawmakers in the state, led by Senator Rick Santorum, say some of the service men and women overseas are being disenfranchised. They say because of a lawsuit by Ralph Nader to get his name on the ballot, some in the military got their ballots too late to have their vote counted on election day.
But Monday Governor Rendell says he has heard some complaints but says there’s no evidence voters will be denied the right to vote. He also says there’s no evidence that some county’s did not send their ballots overseas on time.
‘I don’t want to say that this is frivilous and an attempt to create litigation after the election,’ said Rendell. ‘There may be some people doing it for that motive, but I will give Senator Santorum the benefit of the doubt and say he’s heard from some of the same parents I’ve heard from.’
And Rendell says he does not have the power to extend the deadline for overseas military ballots. He says that’s up to a federal court.