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Sen. Cornyn, Secretary Of State Andrade, & Local Leaders Highlight Efforts To Ensure Every Military Vote Is Counted

CORPUS CHRISTI—U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today hosted a press conference with Texas Secretary of State Hope Andrade and Corpus Christi Mayor Henry Garrett aboard the USS Lexington to discuss federal, state and local efforts to ensure military voters serving abroad are receiving the assistance they need to register to vote and complete and submit their ballots. A recent report released by the Election Assistance Commission indicated, among other disturbing statistics, that only 5.5 percent of the total eligible military and overseas citizen voters were able to cast a ballot in the November 2006 election.

“Today I joined Secretary Andrade and Mayor Garrett aboard the USS Lexington to highlight our joint efforts to ensure every military vote is counted. As a symbol of the strength and courage of America’s military serving overseas, the USS Lexington was an appropriate setting for today’s event. The brave Americans who served on the USS Lexington decades ago fought to defend the same freedoms our men and women in uniform fight for today – not the least of which is the right to vote. Sadly, recent reports indicate our servicemen and women overseas are largely being denied this cherished right that they fight to preserve for all Americans. For that reason I introduced the Military Voting Protection Act that would take several steps to ensure our military voters are not disenfranchised, and that their votes and voices are counted and heard.

“I was pleased the Senate unanimously passed my legislation before we recessed, and I’m hopeful my colleagues in the House will work quickly to pass this bill and send it to the President to be signed into law,” Sen. Cornyn said.

“Here in Texas, Secretary Andrade has made it a top priority to assist military voters in registering and casting their ballots. She has implemented a new program on her Secretary of State Web site to enable members of the military to register to vote and receive assistance in filling out and submitting their ballots. Her efforts are sure to help bridge the gap and ensure countless Texas military voters and their families overseas have their voices heard this election year.”

Secretary Andrade made the following statement: "My office is committed to protecting the voting rights of our military heroes," said Andrade. "I am excited to work with Sen. Cornyn and others to improve this process and ensure the secure transmission of ballots to and from our troops."

Background
Sen. Cornyn first introduced the Military Voting Protection Act (MVP Act) in May, and it received the strong support of leaders in Texas who said the following:

• Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson, a retired U.S. Marine Lt. Colonel, said: "I commend Senator Cornyn for making sure our fighting men and women overseas - such as my own son - are entitled to enjoy the very same rights they serve to protect. Our soldiers deserve no less."
• Then-Sec. of State Phil Wilson said: “As the chief elections officer for the state of Texas, it is important to me that we make every effort to protect the voting rights of the men and women who are risking their lives on foreign soil to preserve the liberties and freedoms we enjoy in the United States. I look forward to working with Sen. Cornyn in his efforts to ensure the secure transmission of ballots to and from our troops overseas.”
• Texas Adjutant General Charles Rodriguez said: "The proposed legislation is very welcome. More soldier cast-ballots will count. Our military servicemembers deserve every assistance in helping them to exercise their right to vote, a right they sacrifice for every day in service to our country. Sen. Cornyn’s legislative initiative will help reduce the time mail-in ballots from our soldiers take to transit back stateside to local election authorities."

The MVP Act has also received the support of numerous military and veterans organizations, including the Association of the United States Army, Air Force Association, Marine Corps League, Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion, Vets for Freedom, American Veterans, and the Reserve Officers Association.

In August, Sen. Cornyn sent a letter to U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey, signed by more than two dozen colleagues in the Senate and House, pointing out disturbing statistics released by the Election Assistance Commission and the DoD Inspector General regarding military voting in recent elections, including:

• Only 59 percent of surveyed military service members knew where to obtain voting information on base – and only 40 percent had received voting information or assistance from a Voting Assistance Officer;
• Only 16.5 percent of the six million eligible military and overseas voters were able to request an absentee ballot for the November 2006 election;
• Only one-third of the ballots that had been requested by military and overseas voters actually reached local election offices after being marked by voters.
• In total, only 5.5 percent of the total eligible military and overseas citizen voters were able to cast an absentee ballot in the November 2006 election.

Since introducing the MVP Act, Sen. Cornyn shepherded the bill through the Senate, where it recently passed unanimously. It now awaits consideration by the U.S. House of Representatives.


Sen. Cornyn serves on the Armed Services, Judiciary and Budget Committees. In addition, he is Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Ethics. He serves as the top Republican on the Judiciary Committee’s Immigration, Border Security and Refugees subcommittee and the Armed Services Committee’s Airland subcommittee. He served previously as Texas Attorney General, Texas Supreme Court Justice, and Bexar County District Judge.

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