WKMG: Not all servicemembers have voting protections. Rep. Frost wants to change that
ORLANDO, Fla. – Congressman Maxwell Frost is filing new legislation aimed at guaranteeing voting protection for all servicemembers.
During a news conference Monday, Frost, D-Orlando, announced the Voting Overseas Treated Equally for Servicemembers (VOTES) Act.
“It is an important opportunity to reaffirm our support for the brave people currently serving in our armed forces overseas and reaffirm our commitment to democracy,” Frost said. “This is going to be a crucial step in ensuring that people outside the country who are fighting on the front lines for our democracy, get a chance for their voice to be heard.”
Frost said current federal law states that only servicemembers stationed overseas are considered active duty and have voting protections. The VOTES Act would expand protections to include any servicemember who’s been deployed.
“There are many servicemembers overseas. Reservists, folks with the national guard who are not under the status of active duty and rather active service or under a training status that are not protected under federal law to have the right to vote,” Frost said.
According to Frost, there were more than 760,000 National Guard and reserve servicemembers in 2021 who would have been affected by the VOTES Act.
The legislation is being filed with bipartisan support and with the presidential election less than a year away, Frost said he’s hopeful the bill will be voted on this session.
“Speaking with republican veterans and also just republicans in general, they want to fix this too,” Frost said. “Because there is that energy on both sides of the aisle, it is my hope that we’ll be able to get this through pretty quickly.”
Source: WKMG