WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Pat Roberts, a former Marine, today announced that the Senate approved a bill he co-sponsored, to improve the voting process for members of the active duty military forces no matter where in the world they serve.

Senator Roberts said, "I am pleased the Senate has acted to ensure that those who sacrifice for our freedom can know their votes are counted."

The bill applies to all regularly scheduled general elections for federal office, beginning with the November 2008 election. Specifically, the bill amends the Uniform and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act of 1986 to provide for expedited collection and delivery of ballots of overseas troops. It also directs the Department of Defense to make provisions for the collection, transportation, and tracking of the absentee ballots of overseas military voters, using express mail providers to the extent practicable.

In April, Senator Roberts signed a bi-partisan letter to President Bush urging him to take action to improve voting for members of the military.

"Thousands of men and women in uniform are serving our country, but their ability to exercise their right to vote is often hindered by their very service, and that’s not right," Roberts said in signing the bipartisan letter to the President, urging him to fix the system.

In the 2006 election, a reported 47 percent, or 110,000 servicemembers who wanted to vote never got the chance to do so. Of those who were able to cast a vote, 20 percent were not even counted.

There have been several voting pilot programs that would allow the soldier to request, receive, download, and print their absentee ballots no matter where they are deployed. The programs were designed to remove many, if not all, major hurdles currently facing our men and women in uniform who would like to exercise their right to vote. However, none have been fully implemented or made permanent.

The legislation now goes to the House for a debate and vote.

Senator Roberts, a former Marine, is an outspoken advocate for men and women in uniform and their families.

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