We’ve seen this before.

New York State’s 20th congressional district is tied up in a very close race between Democrat Scott Murphy and Republican Jim Tedisco. You know what? It doesn’t matter who wins.

What does matter is that the very people who have volunteered their lives to defend our country are not likely to have their votes counted for purely political reasons. Hans A. von Spakovsky writes at The Corner on National Review:

“Only 25 votes separate Republican Tim Tedisco and Democrat Scott Murphy in the special election for New York’s 20th district. That means the winner will be determined by 6,000 outstanding absentee ballots.”

“The problem for military voters in places like Iraq and Afghanistan is that it takes so long for absentee ballots to make the trip by mail from county election officials in the United States to bases in combat zones overseas and back again. As a result, only a tiny percentage of their votes get counted.”

“Under New York law, absentee ballots in this race had to be postmarked by March 30, the day before the March 31 election, and received by April 7. That left most military voters only 25 days to receive, mark and return their absentee ballots, which everyone agrees isn’t enough time, given overseas mail delays.”

“The Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice, which is responsible for enforcing the federal statute that guarantees the right of overseas citizens and military personnel to vote by absentee ballot, contacted the New York State Board of Elections and requested that they issue their ballots sooner for this race. The two Republican members of the board voted to support this request. Yet the two Democratic members of the board, shamefully enough, voted against doing so. Were they trying to disenfranchise military voters?”

“…the voters who will end up being disenfranchised by New York election officials and inadequate enforcement by the Justice Department are the very Americans who put their lives on the line for the rest of us who reside safely here. This is shameful conduct.”

Shameful is not a strong enough word. Disgusting, disgraceful, outrageous, maddening, sickening, pitiful, cowardly and treasonous come to mind.

It doesn’t matter which way the American Military chooses to vote, that is their business only. What does matter is that these people have volunteered their lives to protect and defend the United States of America.

They are deserving of enormous gratitude and respect from the American people and our elected officials.

The very least our country can do is honor their right to participate in America’s democratic process.

Anything less is a stain on America that will not be removed any time soon.