A Floridian living in Jerusalem says he received two absentee ballots
this year, and he questioned how many others may have also been sent
more than one.
According to the daily Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz, Paul Chamberlain,
a 25-year-old native of Ocala, Fla., said that about two months ago he
received an absentee ballot listing three presidential candidates.
Chamberlain, who voted for Democratic nominee Al Gore, then said he
received a second ballot with 10 presidential choices. He told the
Israeli newspaper he set that one aside, but wondered aloud how many
other Americans living in Israel received more than one -- and then used
both to cast ballots for one candidate or to change a vote from one
candidate to the other.
"I thought that maybe they hadn't received my other ballot and that's
why they sent this one, so I had my mother [in Florida] call and confirm
they received it, and they did," he told the newspaper.
"There's no place for an ID number or a signature on the ballot
itself -- on either of the ones that I got," Chamberlain said. "My name
was only on the envelope, so there's no way to know whether someone
really did vote twice" or if they received two ballots or more.
In another oddity, Chamberlain said that despite U.S. reports that
overseas ballots had to be in Florida counties by 5 p.m. yesterday, his
ballot said it must be received by the home office by 7 p.m. on the day
of the election.
Though critics have not suggested foul play by Democrats in Florida,
they have pointed out the irony of Gore supporters in Israel receiving
two ballots, while many military service members thought to support
Texas Gov. George W. Bush haven't received even one.
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Military anguishes over missing ballots
Military missing absentee ballots