Getting Service Personnel a Direct Vote that Counts

[majorzeiss]

My wife is campaigning to change our antiquated electoral system to ensure that Service personnel (and their families) stationed overseas or deployed, can have a direct and secret vote in our forthcoming election. Other countries (Canada, Denmark for example) can manage it for their troops for their elections, without great problems (or expense), so why we unable to provide this most basic of democratic rights (which should be coupled with our responsibility to vote)? I know others have also campaigned on this subject in the past but we need to keep up the pressure (plus keep my wife, who I am sure has turned into a closet Bolshevik in her old age, off my back), so please look at the e-petition which is linked below (remember the success an e-petition had regarding BFPO facilities) .

http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/ServiceVotes/

 

[glasseye]

my wife, who I am sure has turned into a closet Bolshevik in her old age

drinks vodka?
rides a small pony?
swings swords with skill?
has a huge bushy beard?

or the modern version...

 

[vvaannmmaann]

What happened to votes by proxy? are they still allowed.

 

[Andy71]

Yes, as is postal voting. As I understand the petition wants some sort of voting & counting to be done out in theatre to get round the problem of postal votes not getting through the postal system in time

 

[bianchi]

Not sure I support this one. If you were in a very small isolated detachment, it is not reasonable to have a ballot box. It might work in the bigger garrisons, but would fall apart quickly in smaller locations. A ballot box for 10 people, who would be trusted to count the ballot? where would the box be sent? The logistics are a nightmare - postal vote works fine for me..

 

[vvaannmmaann]

More ammo and food supplies or voting booths?
Not a hard choice is it.