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Count Every Hero

Every American must be able to vote safely

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Count Every Hero is a nonpartisan campaign to ensure all service members’ votes are counted, chaired by retired Marine Corps General Tony Zinni.


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In the News

Military TimesMay 27, 2021

Operation Protect Democracy: Our ongoing oath supports electoral reform

The attack on the U.S. Capitol and brazen assault on our democracy on Jan. 6 was a shocking wake-up call for America. As veterans and civilians who have served at the highest levels of defending our nation, it was outright heartbreaking to learn of the numbers of veterans who were involved. It is no secret extremists have targeted members of the military for recruitment, exploiting the experience and legitimacy they bring. While we are concerned about any veteran involvement in the riot, the unlawful and disloyal acts of a few will not define us.
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audacy.comMay 7,2021

Former military leaders come together to Count Every Hero

A nonpartisan organization has launched an awareness campaign it hopes sparks more veterans to join in efforts to keep the democratic voting process safe. Count Every Hero recently rolled out Operation Protect Democracy during a virtual press conference to increase veteran activity in voting and maintain American’s confidence in the electoral process. “We honestly felt the American people would look to us as former senior leaders in the military, both civilian and uniform, to make sure that we’re sending the right message,” said retired Marine Gen. Anthony Zinni.
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Defenseone.comApril 29,2021

Retired Generals and Service Chiefs Launch ‘Operation Protect Democracy’ in Wake of Capitol Attack

The breach of the U.S. Capitol in January and subsequent efforts by states across the U.S. to restrict voting access has spurred a group of retired senior military officials to launch their own counteroffensive: Operation Protect Democracy. The group formed last year to protect mail-in military ballots and ensure they were included in the presidential election, under the name “Count Every Hero.” After the attack on the Capitol, they realized there was more to be done, said Anthony Zinni, former head of U.S. Central Command. The group will now focus on restoring confidence in the voting system and work to increase civic engagement and voter access. It is also targeting political corruption and misinformation campaigns.
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Military.comApril 30,2021

Former Top Military Officials Join Campaign to Restore Confidence in Voting

A new awareness campaign is hoping to draw in more veterans who want to be involved in safeguarding the democratic voting process. Count Every Hero, a nonpartisan organization formed in 2020 to ensure service members and their families could participate in U.S. elections through the absentee ballots, launched “Operation Protect Democracy” on Thursday. It is a campaign that encourages veterans and everyday citizens to engage in restoring confidence in the electoral process — especially following the Jan. 6 events at the U.S. Capitol.
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Militarytimes.comApril 29,2021

Veterans group shifts focus from military voting to bigger election reforms

A group of high-profile veterans and defense leaders who last fall lobbied for military voters’ access to the polls is now shifting their campaign to ensuring free and fair elections for all Americans. Operation Protect Democracy, which grew out of the Count Every Hero Campaign founded last year, is calling for veterans to take a key role in election reform across the country and ensuring that all eligible voters have access to ballots in federal, state, and local elections. Organizers said they were inspired to shift the message in part because of widespread misinformation about the 2020 presidential election results, and the attempted insurrection at the Capitol on Jan. 6.
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Marine Corps TimesNovember 12, 2020

Here’s what military absentee voters need to know about Georgia’s US Senate runoff elections

Another indicator of increased UOCAVA absentee voters this year is the use of the Label-11 DoD. According to the U.S. Postal Service, as of the 2020 Election Day, 58,297 of these Label-11 DoD ballots had been tracked coming into the U.S., a 14 percent increase compared to the 51,085 tracked as of Election Day in 2016. Before the election, the Count Every Hero organization cautioned news organizations, candidates and election officials about declaring winners before every military vote is counted.
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Military TimesNovember 7, 2020

Today is the deadline for Georgia military ballots. Will they make a difference in the election?

In other battleground states, ballots can still arrive for a few more days from military and overseas citizens: North Carolina accepts ballots from these voters through Nov. 12. Pennsylvania and Nevada accept them through Nov. 10. The organization Count Every Hero, which is part of the Military Vote Coalition, has been urging restraint in declaring winners until all military votes are counted. The coalition has been emphasizing the importance of every military vote, and that is being demonstrated in this election.
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WXII Channel 12November 7, 2020

President Trump’s attacks on mail-in ballots rankle some military vets

In the 2016 presidential election, Georgia received more than 5,600 ballots from uniformed service members; North Carolina received nearly 11,000; Pennsylvania nearly 7,800 and Nevada about 2,700, according to the U.S. Elections Assistance Commission. In the razor-thin election in Georgia, the secretary of state’s office said as many as 8,900 ballots requested by military service members and U.S. citizens abroad — in addition to thousands that had already been received and tallied ahead of Friday’s deadline.
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Air Force MagazineNovember 7, 2020

What a Biden Administration Means for Defense

During a Nov. 5 press call hosted by Count Every Hero, a “cross-partisan” effort dedicated to making sure all U.S. troops’ ballots that have been submitted properly and on-time are counted before the results of the 2020 election results are officially called, former Air Force Secretary and initiative co-chair Deborah Lee James urged the nation to give those votes a chance to be counted. “If you look at the different rules of the states … Nov. 12 is when the final tallies will occur and the final of those battleground states,” she said. “One week of patience is all we need to show to let the process play out.”
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The Washington PostNovember 6, 2020

Trump raises vague questions about military ballots in Georgia

“I don’t think that one would see a significant movement, even with it as close as it is in Georgia,” said Scott Cooper, a spokesman for Count Every Hero, a nonpartisan effort to ensure that military ballots are counted. But Cooper, a retired Marine Corps officer and past Democratic candidate for Congress, said every ballot should be counted and suggested that there are lessons that can be taken from what happened in Georgia. Despite being home to large military installations, the state has among the strictest laws in the nation for returning military ballots, leaving the voice of many service members who vote unheard each election, he said.
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CNNNovember 6, 2020

Trump calls for ballot counting scenario where votes legally cast by military would be thrown out

“We’re not asking for any special privilege here,” retired Army Chief of Staff Gen. George Casey told CNN. “We’re just saying we think it’s important for every ballot to be counted and especially those of the service men and women who serve this country. They do so much for us and they deserve to know their voices are heard.” Casey voted absentee from Iraq in the 2004 presidential election and recalls voting absentee multiple times while stationed away from Virginia, his home state of record. He is now one of many retired military leaders lending their voices to Count Every Hero, a bipartisan initiative to make sure military votes are tallied.
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The Augusta ChronicleNovember 6, 2020

Election results: How many military absentee ballots are left to count in Georgia?

“Razor thin margins in the five remaining battleground states mean overseas ballots from military members and their families could be the deciding votes at the end of the count,” said Research Manager Jack Noland of Count Every Hero, a non-partisan group that promotes policies that increase awareness and voting accessibility for veterans and military families. “Any attempts to stop vote counts, or disqualify mail-in ballots, will disproportionately affect military voters. Every vote must be counted to protect the military and gain the trust of all Americans, regardless of their preferred presidential candidate.”
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Military.comNovember 6, 2020

Georgia’s Mailed-In Military Ballots Spotlighted in Neck-and-Neck Race

On Thursday, retired senior military leaders and defense officials said the current election demonstrates the need for election law reform to give military members more time to return their ballots and have them counted. Troops overseas “don’t always have the ability to get their ballots and get them back in time,” said former Army Secretary Louis Caldera, a member of the bipartisan Count Every Hero organization.
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The RepublicNovember 6, 2020

EXPLAINER: Most service members abroad rely on mail ballots

Most military personnel far from home mail an absentee ballot, and those coming from overseas take, on average, about six days, according to a report from Count Every Hero, a nonpartisan group committed to ensuring service member’s right to vote is protected. The group says 28 states and the District of Columbia accept and count ballots that arrive from overseas after election day. They include Georgia, which accepts them up to three days after the election as long as they are postmarked by Election Day. North Carolina accepts them until Nov. 12; and Nevada and Pennsylvania until Nov. 10.
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Fox NewsNovember 6, 2020

Thousands of military ballots yet to be counted in Georgia as presidential race tightens

By today’s deadline, Georgia could receive anywhere from zero to 8,899 military and overseas ballots. Those ballots could make a difference, according to Count Every Hero, an advocacy group with members including retired and former leaders like former Joint Chiefs Chairman Joe Dunford Jr.
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NewsweekNovember 6, 2020

Veterans Criticize Trump’s Calls to Stop Vote Count as Military Ballots Could Prove Pivotal

Research Manager Jack Noland said “razor thin” margins in certain key states could contribute to the deciding votes at the end of the count. “Any attempts to stop vote counts, or disqualify mail-in ballots, will disproportionately affect military voters,” Noland said. “Every vote must be counted to protect the military and gain the trust of all Americans, regardless of their preferred presidential candidate.”
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The Houston Chronicle November 6, 2020

Non-partisan group Count Every Hero demands states hold off on declaring a winner until every single military ballot is counted

“We ask a lot of our military,” said Sec. James. “On a volunteer basis, to make sacrifices, separate from their family, risk life and limb—what is the message we’re sending by not counting their lawful votes? The 99 percent of Americans who do not or have not served owe it to the one percent that do to make sure that their voices are heard.”
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The Australian November 6, 2020

US Election live updates

At least 23,577 outstanding military ballots remain outstanding in Pennsylvania, Georgia and North Carolina, according to Count Every Hero, a group that advocates for the voting rights of service members. Those include as many as 10,000 military ballots in Pennsylvania and another 8,900 mail-in ballots in Georgia, two states where Joe Biden held a razor thin edge over President Trump. The ballots either have yet to be counted or have not been mailed back to the states’ election board, Count Every Hero said, according to the Wall St Journal. Such ballots have to be received in Pennsylvania and Nevada by November 10 and by today (AEDT) in Georgia. “These overseas military members, and their families, could be the deciding votes at the end of the count,” said Ellen Moorhouse, a spokeswoman for Count Every Hero.
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The Detroit NewsNovember 6, 2020

Mail-in ballot attacks rankle some veterans

The broadsides have unsettled many veterans and former military brass who saw voting by mail as a tether to their civic duty when serving abroad. “Officials at all levels including in the Congress need to say to the president ‘Sir, you need to exercise the same patience that the rest of the nation does,’” said retired Navy Adm. Steve Abbot, who later served as deputy homeland security adviser in the George W. Bush administration.
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El Confidencial November 6, 2020

En la carrera por hacerse con Georgia, el voto de los militares puede inclinar la balanza

“Anticipamos que las papeletas de los militares jugarán un rol decisivo en estas elecciones, ya que estas papeletas son algunas de las últimas en llegar y ser contadas”, afirma Jack Noland, investigador del grupo Count Every Hero, al Washington Post.
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Just the NewsNovember 5, 2020

Military ballots still arriving in swing states where vote count is unfinished

“There is no question that active-duty troops and other overseas voters could make the difference in the 2020 election,” the group’s co-chairman, retired Navy Adm. Jon Greenert, said in a statement. “It is crucial we count the votes from our service members and resist any calls to stop the count or declare a winner before these legal ballots have a chance to arrive.”
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Fox NewsNovember 5, 2020

Military ballots still arriving in swing states where vote count is unfinished

Military mail-in ballots are predicted to surge past levels in 2016, when the U.S. Election Assistance Commission says more than 252,000 active-duty service members cast absentee votes, according to Military.com. As of Oct. 22, the U.S. Postal Service reported that about 48,000 absentee military ballots had already been received, compared with 33,000 on the same date in 2016.
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Military TimesNovember 5, 2020

Former military leaders: Trump’s tweet is ‘attack on our electoral process’

“Mr. President, remember your role as commander in chief,” said retired Marine Corps Gen. Tony Zinni, during a press call. “I think one of the obligations is to protect the rights of your service members that serve under you … and ensure that their voice is heard and their vote is counted.”
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Military.comNovember 5, 2020

Military Vote Could Be More Important Than Ever in Tight 2020 Race, Election Experts Say

States have different guidelines for how long after Election Day they will accept absentee ballots. Arizona will accept ballots from service members that are received by Election Day, according to Jack Noland, research manager for Count Every Hero, a nonprofit, cross-partisan initiative formed this year with the goal of ensuring that every service member’s right to vote is protected and their votes tallied.
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The Washington Post November 5, 2020

Military ballots could play greater role in narrow state counts

In a call Thursday organized by Count Every Hero, retired Gen. George Casey, who served as Army chief of staff during the George W. Bush and Obama administrations, asked state officials to include assurances when they certify state votes that all service member ballots have been counted. “We ask so much of them, they deserve to know that their voices are heard,” he said.
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Connecting VetsNovember 5, 2020

As America counts votes, military absentee ballots could still be in transit

An unprecedented number of Americans voted by mailing in a ballot this year — when the United States Postal Service was already hampered by the COVID-19 pandemic. Count Every Hero, a cross-partisan initiative, wants to ensure that before “rushing to call a winner,” all military ballots are counted.
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Military TimesNovember 5, 2020

Military absentee ballots are still coming in to battleground states

With the race down to the wire in Georgia, those military absentee ballots could make a difference, according to Count Every Hero, an advocacy group with members including retired and former leaders like former Joint Chiefs chairman retired Marine Corps Gen. Joe Dunford Jr., former Air Force Secretary Debbie Lee James and retired Navy Adm. Jon Greenert, former chief of naval operations.
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13 News NowNovember 5, 2020

Nonpartisan group ‘Count Every Hero’ demands all military votes be counted

“I would say, Mr. President, remember your role as commander in chief,” said retired Marine Corps General Tony Zinni. “And, as commander in chief, I think your obligation is to protect the rights of your service members who serve under you, and to protect their rights and ensure their voice is heard and their vote is counted.”
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Hill ReporterNovember 4, 2020

Will Trump Try to Disenfranchise Votes of the Military, U.S. Citizens Abroad?

In battleground, still undecided states the numbers are significant and could alter state vote totals. Pennsylvania counted more than 22,000 ballots in 2016 coming from citizens either living abroad or stationed overseas in the military. In North Carolina in 2016, 17,201 military and civilian absentee ballots were counted. Georgia and Nevada had similarly large numbers of ballots to be counted.
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The HillNovember 4, 2020

Military ballots among those uncounted in too-close-to-call presidential race

“We won’t know the exact number of ballots outstanding, but past elections show the importance of counting these votes,” said Jack Noland, research manager at Count Every Hero, an organization focused on ensuring military ballots are counted.
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Military TimesNovember 4, 2020

There are still tens of thousands of military absentee ballots yet to be counted

In 29 states and the District of Columbia, their laws and rules allow election officials to count ballots that arrive after the polls close from military, their family members, and U.S. citizens overseas, according to an analysis conducted for the Count Every Hero campaign. That organization has cautioned news organizations, candidates and election officials about declaring winners before the military vote is counted.
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Bloomberg GovernmentNovember 3, 2020

States With Deployed U.S. Troops to Count Votes After Nov. 3

Overseas votes can have substantial electoral implications, according to the nonpartisan Count Every Hero campaign led by retired Marine Corps Gen. Anthony Zinni. More than 70% of the available votes in the Electoral College will come from states counting overseas military ballots after Election Day and the states that accept ballots arriving a week after Nov. 3, or later, still account for a majority of the electoral votes, data published by Count Every Hero show. Ballots have to be sent before polls close.
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Fox NewsNovember 3, 2020

Deployed US military members express concerns over mail-in ballot count

Members of the U.S. military community, who have long relied on the mail-in system to exercise their civic duty while deployed abroad, are facing an extra layer of challenges this year. Absentee voting has come under scrutiny during this presidential election amid the protracted coronavirus pandemic, and for some of those who serve in the armed forces, voting this year has brought mixed experiences.
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Roll CallNovember 3, 2020

Potential for uncounted military votes looms large in swing states

Pennsylvania is not the only swing state with thousands of military mail ballots and tight deadlines for counting them. Arizona and Michigan, two states considered pivotal in the presidential election, each had nearly 5,000 overseas mail votes in 2016 — and they will probably see more such ballots in 2020. Those two states do not count any mailed overseas ballots received after Election Day, even if they are postmarked by then, according to a report last month by Count Every Hero, an advocacy group for military voters.
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Florida PoliticsNovember 3, 2020

Soldiers fight for democracy overseas. Will their votes count in the election?

The vast majority, about 70%, of active military stationed overseas who vote this year will cast their votes by mail. Because of that, veteran advocacy group Count Every Hero issues a preemptive call to ensure every vote submitted by service members makes its way into totals to impact the Nov. 3 elections.
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Military.comNovember 3, 2020

Troops Are Voting Absentee in Record Numbers. But How Many of Their Votes Will Count?

“We’re going to have more mail-in ballots than ever before” in this election, said James, a member of the non-partisan Count Every Hero advocacy group that has called for every military ballot to be counted before a winner is declared. However, she said, “it’s a virtual certainty” that numerous lawsuits will be filed to challenge the mail-in vote.
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Washington PostNovember 2, 2020

As Election Day arrives, a fight about military ballots takes center stage

Twenty-eight states and D.C. accept and count ballots from overseas service members that arrive after Election Day, according to a recent report by Count Every Hero. More than 70 percent of the available votes in the electoral college will come from states that count overseas military votes after Election Day, the report said.
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FortuneNovember 2, 2020

What Could Go Wrong on Election Night

“We’ve seen in the past, obviously Florida is the key example, that it can come down to a single state and not very many votes,” said Jack Noland, a researcher for Count Every Hero, a nonpartisan military voting advocacy group, to McClatchy DC. “It is not out of the realm of possibility, at all, that some of these statewide or down-ballot races could be determined by overseas and military voters.”
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Tampa Bay TimesNovember 1, 2020

How the fight over mail-in ballots threatens to undermine the votes of American troops

In Florida, as long as military mail ballots are postmarked by Nov. 3, and arrive by Nov. 13, the ballots will be counted, said Jack Noland, a researcher with the nonprofit Count Every Hero. Yet there’s misinformation circulating that if they arrive after Election Day, these ballots are somehow invalid or even fraudulent.
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NBC News October 31, 2020

Trump says the military will vote for him. But he lost their support long ago.

Many of us have decided that Trump has crossed a line. Our nation needs a leader who respects our military and understands the great sacrifice of our servicemen and women, not one who thinks of them as “losers.” – An op-ed by Count Every Hero Co-Chair Steve Abbot.
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Task and PurposeOctober 30, 2020

How the fight over mail-in ballots threatens to undermine the votes of American troops

The average transit time for an absentee ballot is six days, according to a report put out by Count Every Hero, a campaign by the grassroots voter rights advocacy group Represent Us that aims to ensure military votes are counted in the 2020 election. That said, the timeline is dependent on where your ballot is coming from.
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FOX 7 AustinOctober 30, 2020

FOX 7 Care Force: Count Every Hero

It’s important to make sure every vote is counted in this election, including our military men and women serving overseas. One group of retired military members is pushing to make sure that happens. Count Every Hero is fighting to ensure every service member’s right to vote is protected and counted.
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ABC NewsOctober 29, 2020

The Note: Early vote explosion show system working, with stress tests ahead

More than two dozen states receive absentee ballots from overseas service members within a certain time frame after Election Day, according to Count Every Hero, an advocacy group led by retired generals and admirals. “It’s going to take some time to count these ballots,” Scott Cooper, a retired Marine Corps lieutenant colonel and spokesman for the group, said. “We need to have faith in the process.”
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CW34 West Palm BeachOctober 29, 2020

Like in 2000, counting overseas military ballots could become issue again in Florida

“Count Every Hero believes election outcomes shouldn’t be declared until all of those votes are counted,” said Abbot. “Every citizen deserves to have their vote counted, and for those who are standing the watch for us — we really owe it to them to make sure their votes are counted.”
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Huffington PostOctober 28, 2020

Military absentee ballots may be critical to 2020 election: 1 in 5 went to Florida

According to the Federal Voting Assistance Program, there are 4.8 million U.S. citizens abroad, with nearly 3 million eligible to vote. Just under 1 million are members of the U.S. military. Because of the difficulties and delays inherent in sending and receiving mail internationally, the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act was signed in 1986 to make sure such votes get counted by setting deadlines for how late ballots could be mailed to recipients overseas and permitting them to be counted if they arrived after Election Day.
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McClatchy DCOctober 28, 2020

Military absentee ballots may be critical to 2020 election: 1 in 5 went to Florida

“We’ve seen in the past, obviously Florida is the key example, that it can come down to a single state and not very many votes,” said Jack Noland, a researcher for Count Every Hero, a nonpartisan military voting advocacy group. “It is not out of the realm of possibility, at all, that some of these statewide or down-ballot races could be determined by overseas and military voters.”
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The Military TimesOctober 28, 2020

Military and family members: It’s not too late to vote by absentee ballot!

In 29 states and the District of Columbia, the laws and rules allow election officials to count ballots that arrive after the polls close from military, their family members, and U.S. citizens overseas, according to an analysis conducted for the Count Every Hero campaign. It varies from two extra days in South Carolina to 20 days in Washington state. Count Every Hero, an organization led by retired generals and admirals, is also demanding that TV news anchors hold off declaring any election winners until all the military votes are counted.
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Houston ChronicleOctober 27, 2020

Veterans start non-partisan initiative to ensure proper counting of military absentee ballots

A group of former service members have co-founded a cross-partisan advocacy initiative to ensure all overseas military absentee ballots are counted in the upcoming presidential election before a victor is declared. Count Every Hero is committed to two major principles: 1. Every service member’s right to vote must be protected and their votes must be counted. 2. Military voters must have an opportunity to register, request an absentee ballot, and cast a vote regardless of their location in the world
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KWTXOctober 26, 2020

Military Non-Profit asks for patience in election to count overseas ballots

The cross-partisan group “Count Every Hero” said they are requesting a delay in declaring a winner for President until all of those ballots are counted. Spokesperson Scott Cooper, who is also a Retired United States Marine Corps Lt. Colonel, said this year, several things could contribute to a soldier’s ballot being delayed. First, he said the unprecedented number of absentee voters could create a backup. Couple that with delays within the US Postal Service, and Cooper said they believe that close to a week could go by before a deployed soldier’s ballot arrives at the proper precinct. That means if a winner is declared right away, Cooper said, some votes won’t ever even be tallied.
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Count Every HeroOctober 23, 2020

Count Every Hero Press Call

On Wednesday, October 21st, the Count Every Hero initiative hosted their first press call. The call featured Co-Chair of Count Every Hero, Admiral Steve Abbot, and campaign endorsers Air Force and Air Force Reserves Veteran Charlynda Scales and Retired Navy Captain Gabriel Soltero all shared their stories about the complexities of voting overseas. The call also featured Jack Noland and Anh-Linh Kearney, researchers from RepresentUs who shared an overview of their new report: Military Voting in All 50 States.
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Military.comOctober 19, 2020

The Military Vote Could Determine the Next President — After Election Day

Count Every Hero — part of the Military Vote Coalition, a group of bipartisan organizations focused on increasing voting knowledge and accessibility for members of the military, veterans and their families — issued a report last week saying the military’s mail-in ballots could be a deciding factor in the outcome of the presidential election and should be counted before a winner is announced.
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NPR The World October 16, 2020

The World: Latest Edition

As Nov. 3 approaches, calls by President Donald Trump to declare a winner on Election Day have raised fears among the biggest, oldest group of mail-in voters: members of the military. A new nonpartisan group of retired US generals and veterans has come forward to say that could disenfranchise the 172,000 active-duty service members abroad and their families. As The World’s Rupa Shenoy reports, they call the effort “Count Every Hero.”
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The Military TimesOctober 16, 2020

Military absentee ballots could have substantial impact on election, report says

A group led by retired high-ranking military leaders has issued a clarion call to resist efforts to declare election winners until all military absentee ballots are counted, citing the impact these votes could have on the 2020 election.
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The AmericanOctober 15, 2020

Overseas Military Votes Could Decide Election

A new study, titled ‘Military Voting in 50 States’ and published by Count Every Hero, which describes itself as “a cross-partisan campaign to ensure all service members’ votes are counted before election winners are declared”, has found that military ballots including those sent by personnel stationed overseas, could have “substantial electoral implications.”
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Washington ExaminerOctober 14, 2020

Making sure our military heroes’ votes count

“We have reason to believe many of those votes won’t be counted this election. That’s why I signed on to support Count Every Hero, a cross-partisan campaign to ensure all service members’ votes are counted before election winners are declared. In order for our votes to count this year, the public has to be prepared for election results to be delayed, and all candidates, media, election administrators, elected officials, and the courts should commit to waiting for the final count. This does not indicate fraud — slowing down to get it right ensures the safety and integrity of our elections.” An op-ed by Lynne Blankenbeker, an accomplished combat nurse. For more than 34 years, she has dedicated herself to caring for members of the military, veterans, and their families. This year, she ran for the U.S. House of Representatives for New Hampshire’s 2nd Congressional District.
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Times of San DiegoOctober 7, 2020

Opinion: For America’s Sake, We Must Ensure Military Mail Votes Count

“…And, the group of citizens that our society trusts the most—military members and veterans—are depending on you to ensure our votes are counted. The reality is, though our armed service members dedicate their lives to honoring and serving our country, at large they have an extremely difficult time casting ballots and often must cast their ballots through the mail.” – An op-ed by Marjorie K. Eastman, a former resident of San Diego. She is a U.S. Army veteran and award-winning author of The Frontline Generation.
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Military.comSeptember 24, 2020

Former Joint Chiefs Chairman Joins Call to Ensure Troops’ Votes Are All Counted

Chaired by retired Marine Corps Gen. Anthony Zinni, Count Every Hero is promoting efforts to educate troops on registering to vote and requesting absentee ballots, regardless of duty station. “We count on our troops to fight for our freedom, so we owe it to them to count their ballots. No candidate should be declared an election winner until all military ballots are counted,” Zinni said.
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CNNSeptember 19, 2020

Americans living abroad fear their ballots won’t make it in time

Anthony Zinni, a retired Marine Corps general, now works with an organization called Count Every Hero, which is dedicated to helping service members abroad vote and works to ensure their votes are counted back in the US. While in the Marine Corps, Zinni voted from Germany, Japan and while deployed in Vietnam. “We started teaching our Marines about what the Constitution is all about. If you’re going to defend it, you should understand it and know what it is, and the rights you are protecting, our citizens, our way of life,” Zinni said. “We want them to understand that the rights they are protecting, they should engage in and take advantage of, so part of it’s an education.”
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The HillSeptember 15, 2020

Campaign aimed at ensuring military votes are counted launches ahead of Election Day

A bipartisan campaign to ensure U.S. service members’ votes are counted launched Tuesday. Count Every Hero said in a statement released exclusively to The Hill that it is committed to protecting service members’ votes, as well as providing them with the opportunity to register, request an absentee ballot and cast a vote no matter where they are located in the world. The effort is chaired by Ret. Gen. Anthony Zinni, who served as a special U.S. envoy to the Palestinian Authority during the Bush administration.
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Press Releases

Count Every HeroJune 8th, 2022

Count Every Hero: Letter to Governor Chris Sununu

Dear Governor Sununu, We are writing to express our concerns over the provisions of New Hampshire Senate Bill 418 (SB-418) that will adversely affect our military service members’ ability to exercise their right to vote by absentee ballot. The provisions within SB-418 that extend the time for certification of vote totals will result in a three day overlap between the day military absentee ballots must be sent to military members per federal law under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) and the last day for New Hampshire local election officials to certify vote totals.
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Count Every HeroApril 29, 2021

Count Every Hero Launches New Campaign: Operation Protect Democracy

Count Every Hero, a cross-partisan initiative formed in the fall of 2020 to ensure military votes were counted in the general election, launched a new campaign today called Operation Protect Democracy focused on fighting corruption in politics by reforming the electoral system.
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Count Every HeroNovember 5, 2020

Count Every Hero Press Call: Top Brass Say Military Votes Will Make the Difference

On Thursday, November 5th, Count Every Hero held a press conference with top retired military brass discussing what recent attempts to stop the vote count means for military voters and the impact of military ballots in the still undecided 2020 Presidential race.
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Count Every HeroOctober 27, 2020

MILITARY BRASS DEMAND TV ANCHORS HOLD OFF NOV. 3

Count Every Hero, a cross-partisan group dedicated to ensuring all service members’ votes are counted before any election winners are declared, launched a new round of campaign ads just 7 days before the election. Their ads counter the President’s latest tweet demanding results by election night. If all military votes are to be counted, TV news hosts must wait until every single military vote is counted.
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Count Every HeroOctober 14, 2020

NEW STUDY: MILITARY VOTES COULD DECIDE 2020 ELECTION

Most overseas service members vote by mail, their ballots will arrive after Election Day, and their votes could significantly impact the November 3 election results. That’s according to a study released today by Count Every Hero, a cross-partisan campaign to ensure all service members’ votes are counted before election winners are declared.
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Count Every HeroSeptember 22, 2020

Former Military Leaders: Count All Ballots Before Winner Declared

The unprecedented nature of the November election has led dozens of distinguished service members and veterans to support Count Every Hero, a cross-partisan public education. The aim of the group’s advertising and outreach efforts is to ensure all service members’ votes are counted before election winners are declared by candidates, election officials, and media outlets.
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Count Every HeroSeptember 15, 2020

Count Every Hero Demands All Military Ballots Counted Before Winner Declared

Count Every Hero, a cross-partisan campaign to ensure all service members’ votes are counted before election winners are declared, launched today with support across partisan lines.
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Videos

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