-By Warner Todd Huston
**UPDATED BELOW**
The Dept. of justice is investigating whether the Democrat Secretary of State for Illinois has somehow forgotten to send thousands of absentee ballots out to members of the military serving overseas and in this close election climate in Illinois, these ballots now not to be counted could be decisive.
Federal election law, specifically the Overseas Voter Empowerment Act (MOVE), states that every state must mail their absentee ballots 45 days before the election. However, Cris Cray, director of Legislation at the Illinois State Board of Elections, has reported that some of Illinois’ voting jurisdictions have failed to mail ballots on time.
Reporters confirmed that Justice is investigating Illinois via a message from Justice Department spokeswoman Xochil Hinojosa.
“The Department is working with all states, including Illinois, to investigate and remedy and problems that will prevent our men and women serving overseas from having the opportunity to vote and have their votes counted,” Hinojosa said.
Races for governor and the senate are very close in Illinois and with military ballots often going overwhelmingly for Republican candidates, these ballots that will now not count could tip the vote illicitly in the Democrat’s favor. Considering that many military votes now won’t get counted, is it any surprise that the Democrats are in charge of making sure our military votes get counted?
GOP Gubernatorial candidate Bill Brady has released a statement on this infuriating lack of respect for our military.
“I am deeply concerned about today’s disturbing report that Illinois may have failed to mail absentee ballots to our military members serving overseas in a timely manner, and in accordance with the law. The U.S. Department of Justice is right to conduct a full and immediate investigation. The Federal Government and the state of Illinois have the responsibility to take any and all action to ensure the right of those who defend our freedom overseas to cast their votes in this important election. Failure to act on this disturbing report threatens the integrity of this election, and our democratic process.”
Deeply concerned to say the least.
**UPDATE**
I am informed by the Sec. of State’s office that it has no role in sending out the ballots, only counting them. So the failure here is at the local jurisdictional level. It is still inexcusable no matter which office is responsible.
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“The only end of writing is to enable the reader better to enjoy life, or better to endure it.”
–Samuel Johnson
Warner Todd Huston is a Chicago based freelance writer. He has been writing opinion editorials and social criticism since early 2001 and before that he wrote articles on U.S. history for several small American magazines. His political columns are featured on many websites such as Andrew Breitbart’s BigGovernment.com, BigHollywood.com, and BigJournalism.com, as well as RightWingNews.com, CanadaFreePress.com, StoptheACLU.com, AmericanDaily.com, among many, many others. Mr. Huston is also endlessly amused that one of his articles formed the basis of an article in Germany’s Der Spiegel Magazine in 2008.
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