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<br />" <br /> <br />May 9 '00 10:08 <br /> <br />P.02/03 <br /> <br />Sec. af State Elect. Fax:6512969073 <br /> <br /> <br />~aty Kiffineyer <br />MINNESOTA SECRETARY OF STATE <br /> <br />Margh 14, 2000 <br /> <br />S ena.tot Rod. G1amlI <br />251 Dirksel1 Senate Office Building <br />Washington, DC 20510 <br /> <br />Dear Selllltor Grams: <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />1 am writing to alert you to a recent action by the Departlnent of Defense that will prevent <br />the use ofmiliwy base and reserve facilities as pollillg sites for elections, I ask fot yoUX' <br />assistance in urgittg Secret8ry of Defense wUIiaID Cohen to resclnd this directive, <br /> <br />A DOD directive captioned. "DTG 171731Z", issued. by Secretary Cohen's offiee in <br />December 1999 contains a provision that prob1'bits the use of bases and reserve facilities <br />as polling sites or voting places (Subdivision E(l)), This acUon appea:rs to have been <br />taken to prevent the use of such sites for partillan campaigning, a concern that 1 <br />understand and sbaTe, However. those issuing this directive were apparently unaware that <br />for several decades local jurisdictions have been using lD1UtaIY bases and reserve <br />facilities as polling places AS a result, many voters, including lllilitaIY personnel, will be <br />inconvenienced at best, and detetred trom voting at worst, due to the loss of these <br />accessible traditional polling places.. <br /> <br />I therefOre urge you to contact SecretlU')' Cohen to urge that subdivision E (1) of tbjs <br />directive be rescinded iInmedlately, so that this long-standing use of military facilitit!S as <br />sites for nonparti= official Election Day a.c:tivity can continue. I fell! certain that when <br />Secretary Cohen is 1UIly informed regarding this matter, this well-intentioned, but <br />misguided policy will be overtumed, Pl~se, advise IDe of Secretary Cohen's response, <br /> <br />Sincerely, <br /> <br />CJft~ )(~ <br /> <br />Mary KiffiueYer <br />Secret.aty of Sta.te <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />c(;: tJ. S Senate Rules Committee; Armed. Services Committee; Leadership Committee <br />V,S. House: House ,Administration; Armed SefVices; Leadership CoUlmittCC <br />Federal Voting ASsistance Program <br />Fedeta! Election Commission, Office of Election Administration <br /> <br />* 180 Stete Office 8uildinR *' 100 Cgn,NM,gn Avenue * Sf. Paul. MN 5,~1.~".' ?QQ '" 1",11 ?o...."on' -, <-.. <<<" ...,.,. M"'" <br /> <br />j?'d <br /> <br />S3IiIJ NW ~9 3n~~3l Wd10:j?0 00. 60 ^~W <br />