Frustration Grows Over Voting Access for Veterans

October 11, 2026 - 09:23

I am writing this letter because I am so frustrated with the lack of support from our Secretary of State's Office. I am a volunteer for a veterans' organization.

Every election cycle, we try to help the men and women we serve cast their ballots. Many of them are elderly, some have disabilities, and a few are living in facilities where getting to a polling place is simply not realistic. We tell them their vote matters. Then we run into a wall.

The problems are not about politics. They are about basic access. We have requested guidance on absentee procedures and received vague answers or none at all. We have asked for training materials and been told to check a website that has not been updated in years. When we call for clarification, we are passed from one office to another until we give up.

Technology should make this easier, not harder. Online registration, digital ballot tracking, and clear instructions should be standard. Instead, we are left to figure it out on our own while the people we care for lose confidence in the process.

Veterans put their lives on the line for this country. The least we can do is make sure they can vote without jumping through hoops. The Secretary of State's Office needs to step up and provide real support to the organizations doing this work on the ground.