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When LTC Don Johnson (Ret. Army) was a young soldier, deployed and far from home (Texas) he noticed that his ability to cast a ballot during the Federal elections back home was hampered. First of all, how would he obtain the correct ballot from his registered voting district? Would it get to him in time? How would he become informed as to the issues back home? Would the ballot get back to the State in time to be counted? And would they bother counting his ballot at all?
As recent elections become more and more cumbersome and challenged, and as Don came up through the ranks he expressed his concerns to his friends and, in 2006 formed Count US In, a non-partisan, non-profit organization whose mission is to educate, inspire and facilitate the military vote. They’ve identified several ways to accomplish this: through a grass roots efforts to reach out to Wives, Girlfriends, Moms and families; through Veterans and Veteran Organizations, through Voting Officers located on each military outpost and by reaching our active and deployed military directly.
Count Us In’s Mission Statement: To inspire participation of the US military in the voting process at all levels via education and facilitation of the absentee ballot process. To create an informed and educated military voter by being a conduit for information on issues, candidates and the voting process, making soldiers a significant voting force, participating in the political process they defend.
Today, with our most recent federal election just behind us, the need for Count US In is more apparent than ever. We’ve got states that enforce voting laws that don't exist (Virginia), appropriate votes thrown out, and office candidates suggesting that military ballots are not important.
As our military fights for democracy and the right to vote in countries far away, don’t you think their votes here at home should be counted? After all...the ballots they cast are for their boss.
Join Count US In in their fight for democracy here at home. |
