VA gets more flak on voter registration ban

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is facing mounting criticism over its national ban on voter registration drives on its property with Florida Secretary of State Kurt Browning being the latest to join the chorus of criticism.

Two states -- Connecticut and Washington state -- have joined California in asking the VA to do away with its policy. And Browning, while saying he is legally powerless to force the VA's hand, nonetheless thinks their stand is wrong.

And today, U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka, chairman of the Senate's Veterans Affairs Committee, joined senators John Kerry and Dianne Feinstein in writing a letter to VA Secretary James Peake asking him to allow voter registration on VA property.

The trio also said the VA's insistence that the Hatch Act prevents voter registration drives on federal property is simply a misreading of the law, saying it simply prevents federal employees from engaging in political activity on VA time.

They said the act doesn't prevent employees from assisting veterans in registering and said the act doesn't prevent any third party from a voter registration drive.

Browning, Florida's chief election's officer, said in an exclusive interview that he is yet to receive a complaint from either a veteran or a group complaining that the VA is preventing the registration of voters in Florida.

"I find the VA directive somewhat troubling," said Browning, a Republican. "I think these men and women confined to VA facilities should have the opportunity to register and participate in the voting process. They fought in the foxholes for our country and should have the franchise" to vote.

But Browning said his hands are tied in forcing the VA's hand in Florida because he said he has not gotten any complaints the VA has barred anyone here. So he said he has no legal standing.

Pat Hollarn, supervisor of elections in Okaloosa County on Florida's Panhandle for 20 years, is another Republican who opposes the VA ban.

A VA spokesman did not immediately return a call for comment today. But the agency has previously said it allows its official volunteers to assist residents of VA nursing homes, hospitals and shelters in registering when they ask for help.

Tom Bowman, VA chief of staff, told the St. Petersburg Times in May that the VA needed to control access to its property so patient care would not be affected.

"My information is that there has not been a great hue and cry from patients that they're being denied assistance," Bowman said in May. "To say this is politically motivated is simply inaccurate and untrue."

Washington attorney Scott Rafferty has sued the VA over its policy and said he thinks the VA wants to exclude to registration of Democrats.

"The voters who are already registered are primarily Republicans," Rafferty said. "When you start reaching out to people who aren't registered at the VA, you find they're overwhelmingly Democrats."

-- William R. Levesque, Times staff writer

Comments

Funny. When W ran the second time I received several "official" military emails urging me to vote.

I was treated to a Swift Boat Veteran video while on duty. Apparently this video was made to show in churches (the non-profit, non political, non taxed organizations) all over the country. This veteran appealed to my "sense of duty" to "understand" why Bush was a "real" military man.

This year I've already received two emails and an urging from my command to "understand" why the military has to stay non political.

Everyone realizes that officers use their position to pontificate about politics and religion and they push their opinions on young soldiers and sailors, right?

They "judge" the young people based on their personal values. Does officer training not include their duty to uphold the Constitution AND the Bill of Rights?