HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolutions - 2009.04.23 - 9674REPORT (nsc. 09074) April 23, 2009
BY: GENERAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE — Christine Long, Chairperson
RE: MR #09074— BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS SUPPORT FOR LEGISLATION TO GIVE
OVERSEAS MILITARY PERSONNEL ENOUGH TIME TO VOTE AND FOR THEIR VOTE
TO BE COUNTED
To the Oakland County Board of Commissioners
Chairperson, Ladies and Gentlemen:
The General Government Committee, having considered the above titled resolution on April
6, 2009, recommends that the resolution be adopted.
Chairperson, on behalf of the General Government Committee, I move the acceptance of the
foregoing report.
GENERAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE
GENERAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE
Motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote with Taub and Capello absent.
Miscellaneous Resolution # 09074
BY: Commissioner Shelley G. Taub, District #16
RE: Board of Commissioners - Support for Legislation to Give Overseas Military
Personnel Enough Time to Vote and for Their Vote to Be Counted
TO: Oakland County Board of Commissioners
Chairperson, Ladies and Gentlemen:
WHEREAS one-third of all U.S. states do not provide enough time to vote for military personnel
stationed overs -d-crTai iy as half of all states need to improve their absentee voting process
to ensure that the votes of servicemen and women abroad will be counted, according to a report
from the Pew Center on the States, in the report, titled "No Time to Vote: Challenges Facing
America's Overseas Military Voters," the first-ever detailed public analysis of states' voting systems r, for military personnel stationed overseas; and
WHEREAS the study further found that the State of Michigan is one of 16 states that does not
provide enough time to vote for military personnel stationed overseas, because these states send
out absentee ballots after the date necessary for military voters to meet all required deadlines; and
WHEREAS although the State of Michigan allows overseas military voters to fax in their ballot
requests, the state requires that the ballots be transmitted to and from voters by postal mail; and
WHEREAS because the time needed for ballots to travel by mail takes longer than the time
Michigan provides in its process, Michigan's military voters abroad need di 1 additioaal 13 days to
have sufficient time to vote; and
WHEREAS in order to ensure that overseas voters have enough time to vote and have their votes
counted, States can send them blank ballots by fax, email, or other electronic means (such as
through a website); and
WHEREAS the State of Michigan could also implement a change wherein blank ballots are sent to
voters earlier in the process and extending the deadline by which completed ballots must be
received in order to be counted or a combination of these two steps that will add at least 13 days to
the process.
NOW THEREFORE BE 1T RESOLVED that the Oakland County Board of Commissioners supports
the brave men and women, who are stationed overseas to defend our country and to preserve
freedom in foreign lands, and providing them with every opportunity to exercise their basic
democratic right to vote.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Oakland County Board of Commissioners urges the state to use
the efforts of our own Oakland County Clerk's Office as a model for their conscientious handling of
military ballots, which include; the earliest possible preparation of ballots to ensure military voters
have as much time as possible to vote and return their ballot; the creation of an Absentee Ballot
Tracker so military voters can ensure their votes reach their local municipal clerks in time and, on
Election Day, taking the extra step to hand deliver overseas ballots to local clerks to guarantee that
every military member, sacrificing in service of their country, has their vote count and their voice
heard on Election Day.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Oakland County Board of Commissioners hereoy urges the
Michigan State Legislature to better guarantee the voting rights of military personnel stationed
overseas by implementing revisions that would allow sending absentee ballots out to those abroad
earlier than the current date of September 20th•
CommissionerMelldy G. Taub
District #16
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BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Oakland County Board of Commissioners hereby urges the
Michigan State Legislature adopt legislation that will allow state election officials to make blank
ballots available by email, fax or other electronic means rather than through the regular mail.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Oakland County Board of CU1111 lel 51 ii diy urges the
Michigan State Legislature adopt legislation that provides for a secure environment that protects the
secrecy of the ballot, yet allows for the completed ballots of military personnel who are stationed
overseas.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Oakland County Clerk is requested to forward copies of this
adopted resolution to Michigan Secretary of State Terry Lynn Land, the Oakland County delegation
to the Michigan Legislature, Oakland County's lobbyists and the Michigan Association of Counties.
Chairperson, we move the adoption of the foregoing Resolution.
Resolution #09074 March 26, 2009
The Chairperson referred the resolution to the General Government Committee. There were no objections.
April 23, 2009 Resolution #09074
Moved by Zack supported by Capello the resolutions (with fiscal notes attached) on the Consent Agenda be
adopted (with accompanying reports being accepted).
AYES: Burns, CapeIlo, Douglas, Gershenson, Gingell, Gosselin, Greimel, Hatchett, Jackson,
Jacobsen. Long, McGillivray, Middleton, Nash, Potter, Potts, Schwartz, Scott, Taub, Woodward, Zack,
Bullard, (22)
NAYS: None. (0)
A sufficient majority having voted in favor, the resolutions (with fiscal notes attached) on the Consent Agenda
were adopted (with accompanying reports being accepted).
I HEREBY APPROW6 LON
ACTING PURSUANT TO 1973 PA 139
STATE OF MICHIGAN)
COUNTY OF OAKLAND)
I, Ruth Johnson, Clerk of the County of Oakland, do hereby certify that the foregoing resolution is a true and
accurate copy of a resolution adopted by the Oakland County Board of Commissioners on April 23.2009, with
the original record thereof now remaining in my office.
In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the County of Oakland at Pontiac,
Michigan this 23rd day of April, 2009.
Ruth Johnson, County Clerk
gae