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It’s final, only soldiers, no clergy in military voting bill
Wednesday,
April 30, 2008
The clergy will not be included in the military voting bill.
The House of Representatives today accepted the decision of yesterday’s conference committee to take out the clergy provision. The House approved the recommendation of Vice Speaker Agaoleatu Charlie Tautolo to accept the recommendation of the conference committee. This was a victory for the Senate, which has maintained all along that the original intention of the election law change was to allow soldiers who are paying their taxes here to participate in local elections. The final version of the bill to be enrolled and sent to the governor enables uniformed service members to register and cast ballots from wherever they are stationed, using standard military absentee registration and voting procedures.
House Speaker Savali Talavou Ale, said what was most embarrassing about the outcome of yesterday’s conference committee was that the senate won even though there were more Representatives than senators. Savali said he would forgive but not foregt what happened yesterday. Rep Paopaoailua Fiaui said differences among members should be resolved in the House and Representatives should stand together when facing the Senate., He too was embarrassed that the House has had to give in to the Senate’s wishes. A separate Senate bill which would add church ministers and their families to the list of electors able to vote absentee in the gubernatorial and House of Representatives election has now been tabled in committee.
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