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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2013 - 2014
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | January 3, 2014 02:28 PM |
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| From: | Representative Ed Gainey |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Voting Assistance for Vets in VA Medical Centers |
| In the near future I plan to introduce legislation that would make it much easier for our Veterans who are currently residing in the VA Medical Centers in this Commonwealth. Specifically, this legislation would require the county board of elections to appoint two (2) people of different political parties in election districts that have a VA to assist veterans residing in those Medical Centers to register and vote by ballot in accordance with the Uniform Military and Overseas Voters Act (Act of Oct. 24, 2012, P.L. 1490, No. 189). The appointees would be required to ensure that military- overseas ballots cast are received by the appropriate county election board no later than the close of the polls. The bill would also permit political parties and candidates to appoint watchers at the VA Medical Centers. The purpose for this legislation was brought to my attention by constituents who work and/or volunteer at the VA Medical Centers in Western Pennsylvania – primarily, the V.A. Pittsburgh Healthcare System, which serves the entire western portion of Pennsylvania and two other states – Ohio and West Virginia. Last year, only twenty three (23) Veterans out of two hundred (200) in the Medical Center mentioned above were able to vote by the current absentee ballot process. Our Veterans should be afforded every opportunity to vote, in the easiest manner possible, no matter where in our state they currently reside, nor what their current medical condition may be. A draft of this legislation is attached for your review and consideration. |
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| View Attachment | ||
Introduced as HB1953