WE ARE ON YOUR SIDE
Protect Military Votes is a project of the American Constitutional Rights Union designed to encourage military voting and ensure all votes cast by members of the United States military and their family members are counted—and honored.
The mission of Protect Military Votes, a project of American Constitutional Rights Union, is to protect the votes of those protecting us.
There have been numerous cases of military ballots mishandled by local election officials, and we believe these votes should be honored with the highest level of efficiency and integrity.
The goal of Protect Military Votes is to:
Increase voting participation rates of military members and their families by educating them about voting rights, processes and deadlines.
Provide a channel for military members to report concerns or problems in the handling of their ballots
Identify any local or state election officials not adhering to military ballot regulations
Take action in cases of military ballot tampering or mishandling
One in six U.S. military voters didn’t vote in 2018 because their absentee ballot arrived late or not at all, according to the Federal Voting Assistance Program.
VOTING INFORMATION
VOTER BILL OF RIGHTS
WHY WE FIGHT
When a citizen leaves leaves home and family to risk all fighting for our freedoms, they shouldn’t have to worry about whether their vote will be counted. The shocking reality is that our service members abroad face obstacles that hinder their basic right to vote. From difficulty getting absentee ballots, to processes that bring into question whether their vote will even be counted, our military personnel struggle to do what we at home take for granted.
“Nowhere is the right to vote more sacred than when it resides in the hands of America’s warfighters. It is the responsibility of all citizens and government officials to ensure every military ballot is sent and received and each military vote properly counted. As the men and women of the U.S. military protect us here and abroad, we must protect their voices in the political process.”
Hon. Kenneth Blackwell, Former Secretary of State (Ohio), ACRU Action Board of Directors
“I have fought to defend our great Republic on the battlefield alongside great patriots. Now it is time for us to defend the fundamental rights of all soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines to cast their votes for those who would lead our nation. We must ensure that local election officials give every member of the military the opportunity to vote in a timely manner, in accordance with federal laws. We must protect military votes.”
LTC Allen B. West (US Army, Retired), Member, 112th US Congress
“I recognize that getting the ballots out on time requires a special effort by the Local Election Official (LEO). I submit that this is a small accommodation to make to facilitate the enfranchisement of the brave young men and women who are away from home and prepared to lay down their lives in defense of our country. Were it not for the sacrifices of military personnel, from the American Revolution to the Global War on Terrorism, none of us would have the opportunity to vote in free elections.”
Samuel F. Wright, Captain, JAGC, USN (Ret.)
Military Voting Issues in the News
Groundbreaking National Voter Roll Study Reveals Alarming Trends as States Prepare to Vote by Mail
Our colleagues at PILF have performed an extensive nationwide study and found U.S. voter rolls are full of errors, deceased voters and duplicate registrations. They found nearly half a million problems -- how many remain undiscovered?
Democrat Michigan Secretary of State Misprints Trump Ticket on Ballots for Troops
The Michigan secretary of state misprinted the Trump line on ballots intended to be mailed to troops serving overseas, the Detroit News reported.
ACRU’s Toloczko: Encouraging and protecting military votes is a civilian imperative
It is the responsibility of all Americans to ensure the votes of Armed Forces members away from home arrive on time and are properly counted. The time is NOW for service members to register to vote and request an absentee ballot. Registration links are included in the article.
How Absentee Voting for US Troops Won the Civil War and Ended Slavery
We found this wonderful historical story about soldiers’ votes tipping the 1864 election to Lincoln when Democrats were ready to give in to the Confederacy. The win resulted in freedom for America’s slaves and the preservation of the Union after Lincoln’s Secretary of War devised the first plan for military absentee voting. At ACRU, we are as passionate about the sanctity of military vote as was Sec. Stanton. You CAN help … we hope you will visit our Protect Military Votes website to find out how.
A General’s analysis of the dangers of mail-in voting
Leave it to an Army general to analyze, summarize and finalize the dangers of mail-only voting, succinctly, using data, and then give marching orders to the concerned. In a letter to the North Carolina Pilot, Lt. Gen. Marvin Covault (ret.) uses years of experience and all three of his stars to recognize that mail-only voting is the enemy of vote integrity.
ACRU Files Amicus Brief in Support of Arizona Voting Integrity Policy
Arizona, like every other State, has adopted rules to promote the order and integrity of its elections. At issue here are two such provisions: an “out-of-precinct policy,” which does not count provisional ballots cast in person on Election Day outside of the voter’s designated precinct, and a “ballot-collection law,” known as H.B. 2023, which permits only certain persons (i.e., family and household members, caregivers, mail carriers, and elections officials) to handle another person’s completed early ballot. A majority of States require in-precinct voting, and about twenty States limit ballot collection.
SIGN THE MILITARY VOTING RIGHTS PETITION
Join the fight to protect the voting rights of our military service men and women. Far too many military votes are not counted – and you can help.
Sign our petition to show Congress and state governments that we won’t rest until every service member has easy access to voting and that each military vote is counted.
Thank you for your support!
MILITARY VOTING HOTLINE
Have you had trouble voting or making sure your vote is counted? Do you know anyone who has? Let us know your experiences so we can take action.
Call us at 877 730 ACRU or contact us using the form below.