Monday, March 24, 2008

VA Hampering Veterans from Voting

Many veterans live at VA facilities. Some of these (such as some disabled veterans) find it hard to go away from the facilities to register to vote.

But incredibly, the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals recently ruled that voter registration groups are not allowed to register veterans on the grounds of VA facilities.

You read that right: Veterans who were wounded in the fight to protect our democracy are hampered from participating in our democracy. The reason? According to Preminger v. Secretary of Veterans Affairs (2007), voter registration is a partisan activity that the VA can ban.

U.S. senators Feinstein Kerry are urging Veterans Affairs Secretary James B. Peake to change this policy, and ensure that all veterans in VA facilities can register to vote. See March 7, 2008 letter.

Kudos to Veterans for Common Sense for publicizing this shame here.

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