Fla. Sen. seeks to expand Internet voting

The Associated Press

Published: Tuesday, November 11, 2008 at 4:30 a.m.
Last Modified: Tuesday, November 11, 2008 at 4:30 a.m.
FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla. - U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson is trying to get federal funding for states and counties that replicate Okaloosa County's overseas military and absentee Internet voting program.

Nelson said Monday he planned to introduce legislation after Okaloosa County became one of the first to count votes cast over the Internet. Ninety-three registered Okaloosa county voters stationed near three U.S. bases overseas cast their ballots online at kiosks set up in Germany, Japan and the United Kingdom.

The program was designed to make voting easier for U.S. soldiers and citizens abroad, who often have difficultly receiving or sending absentee ballots through the mail. Nelson says as many as half of the absentee ballots sent overseas aren't returned in time to be counted.