Georgia election law makes it difficult to vote oversees
Our soldiers on overseas military bases, foreign service employees who work in the 256 U.S. embassies and consulates, and the 9 million U.S. citizens living abroad rely on the U.S. Postal Service to vote in U.S. elections. It can take a few weeks to receive and send mail to the U.S. However, a new Georgia law, signed in March, restricts election officials from sending out absentee ballots not more than 29 days before an election, shrinking that from the previous 49 days. No electronic ballot can be downloaded from the web for municipal elections, so USPS must send them. I reached out to the DeKalb County Voter Registration and Elections office, and they were understanding, but they admitted the law limits their options. I received my ballot in Kampala, Uganda, on Oct. 28. I can bet it won’t be received by 7 p.m. on election day.
MAREK MA, M.D., Ph.D., AVONDALE ESTATES and KAMPALA, UGANDA
This Independent staying blue, with vote and mood
As I watch the performance of the Democrats, for whom I voted, I am reminded of why I always considered myself an independent. But, because of the blatant irrationality and dissembling of Republicans, they leave independents like me no choice. Do I choose mostly honest, caring, well-meaning but somewhat inept leaders or patently corrupt and amoral ones? Since integrity has always been one of my two main criteria for voting (intelligence being the other), all of the Trump acolytes and Big Lie proponents are eliminated from contention. This includes our governor (though Trump hates him) and our incumbent Secretary of State, whom I considered a possible Republican I could support. But, his true colors have come out as well.
Some commonsense conservative values and candidates would appeal to me, at least fiscally, if not socially. So, mark me as blue both in my vote and in my mood.
STEVE MERLIN, MARIETTA
