Saturday, July 25th, 2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Scott Paradise
(913) 485-9266
Hi-Res Photo: Color | B&W
UPDATE: Passed by the House of Representatives September 17, 2008.

Salina, Kans. -- J.R. Claeys, Republican candidate for Kansas Secretary of State, announced his support today of efforts to engage members of the Armed Forces and their families in elections. H. Con. Res. 388 expresses the sense of the Congress that the Department of Defense and the Federal Voting Assistance Program take additional steps to provide information and register voters for the 2008 elections.

"The right to vote is too important to be mired in red tape," said Claeys. "Only 17 percent of our military men and women eligible to vote participated in 2006."

In 1986, Congress enacted the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act to ensure that members of the Armed Forces and their dependents are provided with the information, opportunity, and material they need to participate in Federal elections. Current law allows overseas voters to register for and request an absentee ballot using a standard Federal Post Card Application. The Federal Post Card application is intended to simplify the process of obtaining absentee ballots for voters outside of the United States during the election.

Despite this law recent studies indicate that that there is a need to refocus efforts on ensuring that members of the Armed Forces and their dependents have the opportunity to exercise their right to vote.

Contact your legislators today to encourage their support of H. Con. Res. 388.

Representative Jerry Moran (R - 01)
Phone: 202-225-2715
Fax: 202-225-5124
Email

Representative Nancy Boyda (D - 02)
Phone: 202-225-6601
Fax: 202-225-7986
Email

Representative Dennis Moore (D - 03)
Phone: 202-225-2865
Fax: 202-225-2807
Email

Representative Todd Tiahrt (R - 04)
Phone: 202-225-6216
Fax: 202-225-3489
Email


PHOTO: Official Campaign Photo (Hi-Res)

ABOUT J.R. CLAEYS
J.R. Claeys is a fifth-generation Kansan born and raised in Salina, Kans. He is seeking the Republican nomination for Kansas Secretary of State in the primary election on August 3, 2010. Claeys graduated from Kansas State University, worked as a fundraiser for the Repubican National Committee and served as CEO of a major national business organization. He is a longtime volunteer and serves as a certified international elections observer. Claeys currently lives in Salina and owns a small business that helps nonprofit organizations with their fundraising efforts. Continuing his commitment to Republican causes, Claeys serves on the executive board of the Kansas Young Republicans. For more information, visit www.JRClaeys.com.