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New video focuses on military voting

New video focuses on military voting

We’ve just finished a cool new video that chronicles efforts on behalf of our office to assist military voters. Watch the video here. Entitled “Serving Those Who Serve – A Guide to Military Voting in Washington State,” the approximately 10 minute video aims to educate military members living in Washington or overseas, a group of voters who represent one of the most mobile demographics. Washington has a large military population, and almost 50,000 registered military voters. The state enjoys a…

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Military families can still register to vote

Military families can still register to vote

UPDATE: We have a few clarifications to this blog post. Additions are in bold, and deletions are crossed out.  If you are active or reserve military personnel, you and your family are exempt from voter registration deadlines and can register as late as Election Day. A spouse or dependent who is away from home because of the military service can also qualify as a “service” voter or “military” voter. “Protecting our citizens overseas should not prevent soldiers and their families…

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How we fared in military voting report: Hooah!

How we fared in military voting report: Hooah!

The Federal Election Assistance Commission has issued its report on military and overseas voting in the 2010 General Election. The report shows that Washington does an excellent job serving our military and overseas voters. Washington continues to be one of the top five states when it comes to sending out ballots to these voters. California ranks first with 89,582 ballots, followed by Florida (75,268), Texas (69,526), New York (54,495) and Washington (52,892). It’s worth noting that the top five states…

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WA lawmakers button down hard-times session

WA lawmakers button down hard-times session

Washington lawmakers are heading back to their home districts after completing a brutal recession-era 135-day session.  Budget cutbacks, including salaries of state employees and teachers and budgets of virtually every area of government, were the rule of the day as lawmakers grappled with a budget gap of billions. Cuts and freezes totaling $4.6 billion will affect K-12, higher education, “safety  net” programs, and a variety of state services, from parks to prisons.  The $32 billion two-year budget takes effect July…

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Military voting: `45 days to receive, mark & return’

Military voting: `45 days to receive, mark & return’

Doug Chapin, a nationally prominent, independent elections analyst, writes at electionline.org that the common thread for Washington and the four other states that got a federal waiver was that all meet the test of providing at least 45 days for military and overseas voters to “receive, mark and return” their ballots. Chapin writes: “Less than 45 days meant no waiver.” Washington and nine other states and territories requested waivers due to the short turnaround time between their late primaries and…

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Military voting: 51-day transit exceeds feds’ 45-day rule

Military voting: 51-day transit exceeds feds’ 45-day rule

Washington election officials today emphasized that the state’s recent federal “waiver” of the 45-day ballot deadline for military and overseas voters shouldn’t be viewed as providing less voting time for our soldiers abroad. Indeed, Washington has a generous 51-day transit period, and all properly voted military ballots that are returned in the three weeks after Election Day are counted. State Elections Director Nick Handy said Thursday: “It’s clear that some people hear the word `waiver’ and jump to the erroneous…

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Gregoire inks ballot design improvements

Gregoire inks ballot design improvements

Governor Gregoire has approved legislation aimed at improving ballot design in Washington, making it less likely a voter will miss important issues. The measure, House Bill 2496, will require counties to clear up visual clutter on their ballots, and make sure that the voter-instruction section is clearly separated from the actual beginning of the voting itself. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Scott White of  Seattle, grew out of apparent confusion by many King County voters last November, when about 7…

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