Boots and Ballots outreach tour hits Laughlin

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Nathan Maysonet
  • 47th Flying Training Wing Public Affairs
LAUGHLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  The Texas secretary of state visited Laughlin June 12, as part of his continuing tour of military bases across Texas to promote military participation in the state's elections.

Texas Secretary of State John Steen's visit to Laughlin is the fifth stop on his 'Boots and Ballots' military voter resources and readiness outreach tour, which is designed to aid military voters by providing additional resources to help them register to vote and participate in local, state and federal elections.

"No one does more to protect our freedom and right to vote than the men and women of our armed services," said Steen. "So we must do everything we can to ensure they can participate in the very process they are serving and fighting to protect and defend."

During his visit, Steen and his staff spoke with Laughlin's voting assistance officers about Texas voting laws, issues with military absentee ballots, the ways military members can register and vote in Texas, and the need to ensure that military members registered to vote in Texas can do so whether at home and abroad.

"We must do all that we can to help military members who wish to vote, vote, and have it counted," said Keith Ingram, secretary of state elections division director of elections. "In 2010, more than 49,000 ballots were sent to military members registered to vote in Texas and only 12,500 were returned and counted. In 2012, we sent 54,000 out and received 32,000 back. The numbers have improved but we need to continue to work at shrinking the divide."

Steen's visit to Laughlin comes just weeks before several Air Force and Department of Defense voting drives are scheduled to begin, such as the Armed Forces Voting Week in July and the Absentee Voting Week in September.

With these programs focused on Federal voting, the secretary's visit offered Laughlin's VAOs with much needed information on Texas State voting programs and initiatives, explained Capt. Scott Kirk, 47th Flying Training Wing chief of general law.

"Every year the Air Force and DoD highlight the importance of voting to military personnel and their families throughout the summer and fall months," said Kirk. "These programs offer helpful information on voting but their focus is not on state elections. Many at Laughlin are Texas voters, and this meeting was a chance for Laughlin's VAOs to get the information they need to help our local voters vote."

Before leaving Laughlin, Col. Brian Hastings, 47th FTW commander, offered the secretary and his staff his thanks for visiting Laughlin on his Boots and Ballots tour.

"People have died for the right to vote," said Hastings. "I appreciate Texas secretary of state coming out today and sharing with our team what the State of Texas is doing to make voting easier for military voters."

For more information and resources on voting in Texas visit votetexas.gov or contact your VAO.