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Obama campaign sues Ohio over early voting law

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    Military members, overseas residents given extra days to cast ballot

  • Duration 7:41
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This transcript is automatically generated

In my view every effort should be taken.

By the government of the United States of America to assure that every member of the military has the right to vote and their vote is -- Any effort.

Two to impede the right of our military members overseas or here domestically in voting.

I would be -- an extraordinary violation of the trust that we should have for those who -- -- about diet that.

-- he saw about our top story there that was -- -- Reacting just a short time ago to our breaking news on that lawsuit filed by the president's reelection team it challenges a law in Ohio.

That gives members of the military more time to vote.

Other citizens' well now the president's.

People say that they're not trying to punish our men and women in uniform.

But already a half dozen military groups are asking the court to let then join in this effort to stop the president's reelection team.

From changing these voting rules -- -- -- -- is concerned veterans for America at gitmo he helped members of his unit navigates the voting laws.

He also recently served in Afghanistan from where he can attest to the difficulty -- service members have -- voting.

Also joining us on the phone is the Ohio attorney general Mike -- gentlemen thank you so much for being here.

Thank you.

-- except let me start -- you the -- -- reelection team says this isn't about.

Hurting military men and women this is about extending early voting to all citizens what's your response.

While they seem to think it's some sort of reverse discrimination that civilians are being treated unequally and that's a pretty easy thing to think about in an air conditioned.

Campaign office in Chicago but tell that to the you know 21 year old sergeant in the hills of Afghanistan who doesn't he's not thinking about 36 you know 4515.

Days out or when his ballot needs to get into the mail he might need those extra days and there's no reason to no excuse especially the state like Ohio that has fantastic voting laws.

First for both the military and civilians there's no reason you can't.

Cast your ballot if your civilian no one's being discriminated against.

-- I I command the attorney general secretary state.

Ohio for doing everything they can to make sure every ballot for a military member whether Iraq Afghanistan anywhere is counted and that's what's at issue here mr.

-- what's your response to that.

You know dating back at least to -- civil war.

We have treated our military different because they're different circumstantial.

And course that it looked at -- -- that's absolutely right.

The Obama campaign.

And the state Democratic Party are saying it appears.

No rational basis to treat them differently.

No legitimate justification.

That the campaign can discern to treat military different than everybody else.

I just find that -- Everyone knows that gets according to military many times have in in voting the federal law that was that passed -- -- upheld.

Makes 888 distinction.

Between Powell absentee ballots are -- in every state every state in the union.

So assist just are excited to be quite shocking.

They would want it didn't act and -- has already been reported out.

We have a number of veterans organizations are seeking to join us.

And also also sought help -- -- Sayles file.

As very very open vote.

Anybody in the -- I'll -- dirty side days before the election.

For any reason no no reason at all she and get an absentee ballot so it's not typical.

The -- in and stable I'll.

And -- -- except can you just share with us some of the challenges.

That our military servicemen and women do have to go through in -- Sure I mean every.

Every unit that's that's -- has.

Men and women for states across country in every state has different rules about what you can and cannot do what you have to send in when you when you have to send it in when your.

When ballots are -- so I was a voting assistance officer in Guantanamo Bay and my job was to help my guys navigate that -- now Lott has improved since 2004 when I was there to 2012 is because of the great work of states like.

Ohio that have made it easier.

For folks to access the ballot but what what what ticks me off here.

Is that the argument the Obama administration is making is that arbitrary and without justification.

To treat the military.

Differently I decrypt if I'm wrong I don't see IUDs are snipers shooting at our polling places the civilians in the United States have.

Plenty of opportunities to vote at will and especially in Ohio so tempted to sort of try to make that argument -- they're being treated on equally.

It and it just to me is below below board and and I had.

I'd like to see I hope these military groups that get this overturned.

Mr.

-- you can cure the outrage from captain.

-- set you can hear why -- so frustrated why these half dozen other.

Military.

Groups are outraged what will you do about the Obama campaign's lawsuit against your state.

We have filed a brief.

Already in opposition to it.

John -- -- I have done that secretary of state.

And you know I'm just outraged by I can't believe that.

Deal the Obama campaign state Democratic Party are actually saying there's no rational basis for -- distinction between.

Someone who -- -- military voting and sometimes not military our whole history in this country we made a distinction between the two -- recognizing.

That just so called east.

Any unique situation.

That people in the military -- -- See the Obama campaign says that they don't like that the voting early voting.

For a regular citizens non military citizens and Ohio ends on November 2 but what's curious.

Pete is it's there are many other states that also have their early voting -- end on.

It -- -- -- second is Colorado there's Wisconsin there's Nevada.

I could go wrong so.

We hear a clearly I want my.

There we have a student we know how much -- you're sorting system -- pile.

Then most states do.

35 days and it -- you know those days people could get matched -- ballot.

For absolutely no reason it's not like in the old days when you're at six or out of state -- -- out.

-- do you feel -- line I mean do you feel as though -- -- campaign is targeting Ohio for political reasons.

Expect and -- well -- English thank.

The Boston area and you I don't know I don't I know I know of course they are you know as a big it is -- -- -- big friars.

But the irony here's what we've already ordered out Ohio has very very open bode bode well just -- -- Ali yeah very very restrictive.

I -- yeah except.

Idaho Ohio should not be punished here in fact how should be lauded.

That should be applauded a -- group we work with very closely concerned about for America as the military voter protection project they've got fifteen all star states.

Ohio is one of them because there.

Their laws are so -- are so flexible and and they make sure anyone can vote not just military members and -- what they say is it we're gonna -- the military three extra days as the election gets closer to sometimes guys.

You know as they're going on patrol and dealing with the enemy overseas are not really thinking about that elections coming up and whether they file for an absentee ballot.

So -- the election gets closer to go hey I wanna I wanna focus not this what I'm fighting to protect.

So they're given a couple extra days to do that it's common sense that -- should be outrage in the need to take this issue on and I'm glad to see Ohio's a leadership political leadership fighting back.

Well captain -- -- except attorney general of Ohio Mike -- thanks so much for coming in.

And explaining all this thing.

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