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Pippy, Legislators Discuss Military Absentee
Ballots
Father of Guard Member Details Need for Voting Extension
HARRISBURG -- When
called to duty, Pennsylvania Army National Guard PFC Naomi Bondy of Bridgeville
put aside her studies at Indiana University of Pennsylvania and headed off to
serve in Iraq.
Unfortunately, because of her service PFC Bondy
won’t have a chance to vote in the upcoming election as it stands now because
she will be unable to return her absentee ballot by November 2.
“It’s unfair that the voices of many
Pennsylvania men and women in uniform like PFC Bondy will not be heard in this
upcoming election,” Senator John Pippy (R-37) said. “The men and women of the U.S. military
who serve us daily in harm’s way deserve to have their votes counted.”
PFC Bondy’s father, Frank Bondy of Bridgeville,
joined Senators Pippy and Jane Clare Orie, state Representatives Mark Mustio,
Thomas Stevenson and Mike Turzai, U.S. Senator Rick Santorum, U.S.
Representatives Melissa Hart and Tim Murphy and other officials at a press
conference Friday to again call upon Governor Rendell to support a two-week
extension for absentee ballots from military members serving overseas.
Frank Bondy recently contacted Senator Pippy
about his daughter’s case, which started when she left Indiana University
earlier this month en route to Baghdad, where she is now serving on temporary
duty with Company A, 13th Signal Battalion.
Mr. Bondy said he received his daughter’s
absentee ballot in Bridgeville on October 26 and immediately forwarded it to her
APO address. However, unless the balloting extension is granted, PFC Bondy -- a
registered Allegheny County voter -- will be disenfranchised.
Senator Pippy and a number of federal, state and
local officials continue to urge Governor Ed Rendell to stop his opposition of
the U.S. Justice Department’s suit to give military and overseas voters extra
time to return their absentee ballots.
“At the very least, we should take the
imminently reasonable step of extending a deadline by two weeks in order to
ensure that our fellow citizens now serving in uniform like PFC Bondy can
participate in this election and enjoy one of the most basic rights of
citizenship,” Senator Pippy said.
# # #
Sen. John Pippy, center, speaks at an Oct. 29 news
conference on the issue of military absentee
ballots. Also participating in the Pittsburgh event were, from left, U.S.
Rep. Melissa Hart, state Rep. Thomas Stevenson, U.S. Rep. Tim Murphy, and state
Sen. Jane Orie. The lawmakers were joined by the father of a PA National
Guard member currently serving in Baghdad who will not be able to return an
absentee ballot in time to meet the current state deadline.
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