Jeremy Blaney remembers voting in the 2006 Michigan gubernatorial election.
But not because of a shocking outcome or the long polling line. Blaney, an international relations and comparative cultures and politics senior, remembers because he was overseas serving in the U.S. Air Force.
He didn’t want to pass up the chance to vote, so he registered for an absentee ballot.
“You are overseas, but you still want to take part in the election,” he said. “The military goes to great lengths to help you do that, but the paperwork process can seem a little daunting.”
Legislation passed unanimously 37-0 in the state Senate on Tuesday could make voting while overseas less “daunting” for Michigan residents such as Blaney.
The bill, sponsored by state Sen. Roger Kahn, R-Saginaw, allows any voter living overseas to receive and download an electronic ballot, fill it out and mail it back to the clerk.
Kahn said it can take as long as 57 days for an overseas voter to request, receive and return an absentee ballot, and because of the lengthy process only about 25 percent of military personnel are able to vote.
“An awful lot of folks just can’t get it done in that time frame, so they don’t vote,” Kahn said. “This gives them an opportunity … to participate in the democracy they support and defend.”
A similar bill passed the state House 105-0 in November. State Rep. Vincent Gregory, D-Southfield, who sponsored the House bill, said there are few differences between the bills.
“It would be a shame that just because of a delay that those soldiers fighting for us would be disenfranchised,” he said.
The state House and Senate now must reconcile the two bills before Gov. Jennifer Granholm can sign the legislation into law.
Gregory said the House and Senate bills are similar.
“I would hope to see these bills reconciled within three weeks to a month,” he said. “That way it would give the Secretary of State time to set this up for the August primary.”
Michigan Secretary of State spokesman Ken Silfven said there should be no problems arranging the electronic absentee program.
Similar federal legislation passed in October and was signed into law by President Barack Obama, allowing absentee voters to register electronically for federal elections. The Michigan legislation would expand this to state elections.
Silfven said the Secretary of State worked with bill sponsors to be sure the legislation would correspond with the new federal law.
“We are pleased we have been a part of process,” he said. “If it can help more people make their voices heard that’s great.”
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