elections

Because of rightful pushback from military and overseas voters, the 2009 General Assembly made some significant changes in the absentee voting law effective 1/1/2010, among them:

1) Number of witnesses on an absentee ballot dropped from two to one

2) For the presidential general election, ballots will be mailed out 60 days before the election, rather than 50 days.

3) Current law requires ballots to be received by 5:00 pm on the DAY BEFORE the election. New law provides for ALL PRIMARIES AND ELECTIONS that:

        a. for military and overseas voters, ballot must be received  by 5:00 pm on Friday, three days AFTER the election. There is no postmark requirement, as the military rarely uses postmarks.

        b. for all other voters voters, ballot must be postmarked no later than day of election, and ballot must be received  by 5:00 pm on Friday, three days AFTER the election.

With the Orange County School Board (OCSB) elections looming (among others), and the frustration of the last year lingering with many parents and concerned citizens, we have a real chance to make a change.

What say you – we always have that opportunity?

Yes, of course you are right – the right to vote is fundamental in our society. And a right we should willingly act upon at every chance.

So – I have a confession to make...

There is an extremely high likelihood that I voted for a much maligned outgoing member of the School Board four years ago. For those of you who have not attended OCSB meetings this past year, let me just say that this woman and I have VERY different viewpoints on the process of educating our children.