FedEx reaches out to overseas voters. Advantage: Obama

By GottaLaff

(click on chart to enlarge)

FedExtra Special:

Seeking to alleviate a top concern for overseas absentee voters, FedEx will team up with a voter participation group and ship ballots for free or at heavy discounts this fall, the company announced this week. [...]

"The number one question we get around election time is: did my ballot arrive and did it get counted?" OVF President and CEO Susan Dzieduszycka-Suinat told The Hill. Her organization has been dedicated to overseas voter registration and participation since 2005.

Could you all hang on just a minute while I try to pronounce Susan Dqoiuteqiweuqwe- Siweurqpeoui's name? I was going to put in a call to her and thank her, but I'm afraid this is a bit of a deterrent.

Hmmm, I wonder what BushCo can do to sabotage these efforts. Maybe infiltrate FedEx? I can't imagine anyone taking notice if Rove were to use his private e-mail account to intercept confirmations:

Overseas voters will be able to print FedEx forms and request ballot pickups on OVF’s website. FedEx will send confirmation emails when votes are delivered, and voters will have access to FedEx tracking tools via OVF's site, allowing them to monitor their ballots' voyages.

That, OVF’s Dzieduszycka-Suinat says, will give overseas voters "a level of confidence that really isn't otherwise provided in this system."

Participation and satisfaction among overseas voters have been flagged as problems by the Election Assistance Commission (EAC), an independent body created under the 2002 Help America Vote Act to review and guide federal election procedures.

Maybe there will be an Executive Order to impose the all-new emergency Stop Overseas Voting Act! Just in time for Election 2008!

EAC Chair Rosemary Rodriguez thinks the FedEx/OVF program could have a drastic impact, as slow mail is a top concern for overseas voters.

"If we can really get the word out it could be exponential," Rodriguez said. "It could really make a difference."

Standard mail often takes too long for ballots to be sent and returned in time, posing a significant obstacle to overseas votes being counted, Rodriguez added.

Hmm, and I wonder which candidate would benefit...

The program comes at a time when overseas interest in the U.S. election, particularly among civilian ex-pats, could be at an all-time high. The Washington Post documented unprecedented interest in Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) among Americans overseas, and a Global Primary for overseas Democrats drew 20,000 votes, with Obama raking in 65 percent.

Overseas voters will be able to ship their ballots at the lowered rates between September 15 and October 29. Alabama will be the only state not to participate, as it requires overseas ballots to be sent via U.S. mail.

Well shut my mouth and call me Susan Dzieduszycka-Suinat! Overseas voters are expected to benefit Obama. I can't foresee any problems with the FedExers' plan then. None at all. Oh, and about that Alabama:

Monday, June 30, 2008

The gap between John McCain and Barack Obama in Alabama has been cut nearly in half. The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey in the state finds McCain ahead 51% to 36%. Though McCain still has a solid advantage, his fifteen-point lead in the Yellowhammer State is down from the twenty-eight point lead he enjoyed last month. This is consistent with other polling in Republican leaning states showing Obama closing the gap since clinching the Democratic Presidential Nomination.

Everything should go swimmingly. After all:

At FedEx, we are passionate about sustainably connecting people and places and improving the quality of life around the world.

And isn't that exactly what the Bush administration stands for?