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 Click here to view or download Stars and Stripes' Election 2004 guide (PDF format, 2.7 MB), with graphics and two pages of "on the street" interviews in which servicemembers talk about the election. Federal voting assistance program For servicemembers unable to get in contact with their voting assistance officer or seeling further information, see the Web site of the federal voting assistance program at www.fvap.gov. More information The Internet can be a terrific resource for elections information, or a complete waste of time. Or both! Have a look at some of these Elections 2004 sites: ¶ www.georgewbush.com and www.johnkerry.com — Promises, promises. The candidates’ stances on the big topics. ¶ www.votenader.org — And then there’s Ralph Nader. He’s running again. ¶ www.presidentmatch.com — A short quiz on issues matches your positions with who would be your best choice. ¶ www.factcheck.org — A great way to shoot down those Internet rumors and junk e-mails ¶ www.politics1.com — A site with a wide range of election news items. ¶ www.cookpolitical.com — A nonpartisan look at the political landscape in America. ¶ www.youth04.org — A site run by college students, and targeted at potential voters age 18 to 25 ¶
www.comedycentral.com/ ¶ www.jibjab.com — Home to the famous “This land is your land” parody with the weirdly jointed Kerry and Bush trading insults. — Patrick
Dickson, |
Overseas
military voters may be key to presidential race The two major parties have selected their candidates and staked out positions. Polls show that the electorate is fairly entrenched, and with our Electoral College system, the election could turn on a few key states. The voting assistance officers have fanned out to overseas bases and are reporting record numbers of people contacted. If you do the numbers, folks, you’ll see that the overseas military vote could decide the whole shootin’ match. (Click here to read the entire story) Last election proved voters still vital to Electoral College The Electoral College, whose
members, and not the popular vote, ultimately decide who wins the U.S.
presidency, won’t keep 19-year-old Lance Cpl. Susan Moyer from casting
a ballot in November. “I’m going to vote. We’re American and [voting
is] something we have an opportunity to do that a lot of people don’t,”
said the young Marine stationed at Quantico, Va. “And I’m a female.
That’s another reason why I want to vote. People fought a lot for a
female’s right to vote, and a lot of women in other countries don’t
get to, and I’m not going to give up my right to vote because of the
Electoral College.” And she knows what it is. Sort of. In Europe, don't delay voter registration Time is of the essence for
troops who want to vote in this year’s presidential election. The U.S.
Postal Service’s recommended deadline to submit a postcard application
form — which is used to register to vote — has passed. But it doesn’t
mean that local voting assistance officers are giving up. The deadline
was set in the hope of avoiding the problems of the 2000 election, when
thousands of overseas absentee ballots did not arrive in time to be
counted. Even if soldiers, Marines, airmen and sailors missed the first
deadline, the Army and Air Force commands say there will be a second
push to help out the troops. Pacific voting assistance officers help ease a confusing process With the Nov. 2 presidential
election nearing, the race is on to get Pacific-based troops registered
to vote. Voting assistance officers say the services are making a concerted
effort to reach every soldier, sailor, airman and Marine — as well as
civilian workers and family members — to avoid a repeat of four years
ago. In the 2000 general election, an estimated 29 percent of military
personnel who wanted to vote did not get absentee ballots or received
them too late. Steve Stacy, the U.S. Army Japan voting assistance officer,
said, “We’re not supposed to talk about Florida.” But it’s impossible
to not talk about Florida. The state was pivotal in 2000 and changed
the way military voting officers overseas do business. More stories ... A few more of Stripes' election-related stories from recent months: August 9, 2004: August 7, 2004: July 28, 2004: July 19, 2004: July 1, 2004: June 3, 2004: February 15, 2004: February 7, 2004: January 23, 2004: December 12, 2003:
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