As Election Day approaches, U.S. service members encounter challenges in voting absentee, prompting congressional scrutiny.

Republican congressmen have taken action in response to concerns over absentee ballots and voter education for active-duty U.S. military personnel, Breitbart reported.

Active-duty U.S. service members report a troubling shortage of absentee ballots for the upcoming election, resulting from depleted ballot reserves at military bases and delays in resupply, which could jeopardize their voting rights.

Service members deployed overseas report difficulties in understanding how to register to vote, request absentee ballots, or use federal write-in absentee ballots when state-issued ones are unavailable. These complaints surfaced during recent outreach visits to military personnel.

Representatives Brian Mast (R-FL), Bill Huizenga (R-MI), and Mike Waltz (R-FL) addressed these issues in a letter to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, expressing "grave concern" over the deficiencies and demanding a response to ensure the protection of these rights.

Lawmakers Demand Accountability from the Defense Department

In their communication, the congressmen described the administrative failures in educating service members on voting processes as "inadequate." The lack of proper voter education could disenfranchise many who are serving abroad.

Furthermore, the lawmakers relayed accounts from service members who faced barriers when attempting to obtain federal write-in absentee ballots due to exhausted supplies at their bases.

Rep. Brian Mast emphasized the critical nature of this issue, stating that it is "absolutely unacceptable" for those in uniform to face voting hurdles, especially as they may be directly affected by the policies of the next commander-in-chief.

Congressional Reactions Highlight Potential Oversight Failures

Rep. Mast criticized the current administration for its alleged neglect in safeguarding the voting rights of military personnel, connecting it to broader criticisms of the administration's approach to state-level election integrity measures.

"Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have mobilized federal manpower, resources, and tax dollars to block state-level election integrity measures, including in Georgia and Virginia, through lawsuits and smears," Mast claimed in a press release.

He accused President Biden and Vice President Harris of hypocrisy in promoting democracy while failing to ensure military personnel can vote, highlighting the contradiction in their policies versus their actions.

Service Members Deserve Better, Say GOP Representatives

Rep. Mike Waltz also spoke out about the perceived indifference of the Biden-Harris administration towards the military, particularly those in combat zones, by dismissing the hardships they face.

"Both Joe Biden & Kamala Harris have dismissed our warfighters serving in combat zones by either falsely claiming the U.S. has suffered no casualties under this administration or by claiming thousands of these service members aren’t in active combat zones," Waltz stated, emphasizing the need for better support for these voters.

Rep. Bill Huizenga echoed these concerns, criticizing the administration for not providing adequate information and resources for service members to participate in the electoral process.

Defense Department Responds to Congressional Concerns

A Department of Defense official responded to the criticisms, stating that each military installation has designated Voting Assistance Officers to aid in the voting process. This includes ensuring that all service members receive the necessary guidance during the in-processing and pre- and post-deployment phases.

The official explained, "Every installation commander ensures voting assistance is included in the administrative in-processing as well as pre- and post-deployment checklists required of reporting and detaching personnel," in addition to designating Voting Assistance Officers.

The official further clarified that the allocation of voting materials is based on the assessed needs and demands of each base, suggesting that discrepancies in ballot availability might be due to variations in local requirements.