The act would amend the Uniformed and Overseas Absentee Voting Act, guaranteeing troops the right to vote in federal, state and local elections. The Military Voting Rights Act, which was first proposed in 1997, was sparked by a 1996 lawsuit against Val Verde County that alleged 800 military absentee ballots were improperly counted in local races, primarily in Del Rio. Taylor County received 861 absentee votes from military members serving elsewhere in the United States and 304 from troops serving overseas in the 2000 election, said Pauline Pitman, county elections administrator. Airmen stationed at Dyess can vote in Taylor County or with an absentee ballot in their hometowns. Every state has different voting laws, but the Federal Voting Assistance Program's Web site outlines basic guidelines for determining residency for military personnel and their families.
Residency can change each time a military member transfers to a new location.
They must take specific action, such as registering to vote, registering a car or obtaining a driver's license. Military spouses do not automatically assume the legal residence of their husbands and wives. They must meet the physical presence and intent to remain or return criteria. To register to vote absentee in Taylor County, military members must fill out a Federal Postcard Application ballot. This allows them to vote in all elections in the county during that year.