MONTGOMERY – The Secretary of State’s Office announced today that Alabamians overwhelmingly answered Secretary of State Beth Chapman’s call to collect domestic prepaid telephone calling cards for wounded servicemen and women for Christmas this year. A strong advocate of our state and nation’s military, Chapman asked Alabamians to enhance our military’s Christmas Season as a small token of our appreciation for their invaluable service to our state and nation.
Chapman asked that donations from the public of 60-120 minute prepaid domestic calling cards be delivered to her office this week. 35,128 minutes of airtime were collected from all over the State. Joining the Secretary’s effort ABC 32 in Montgomery also collected telephone calling cards collecting 9,205 minutes which will be added to the minutes already collected. This allows the Secretary of State’s Office to send 44,333 minutes of airtime to our military for Christmas this year.
Chapman boasts that Alabama has per capita the largest number of National Guard members to be deployed since 9/11 and one of the largest percentages of men and women in all branches of the military including veterans.
Chapman says that Alabama is a state that does not have laws to expedite members of the military’s right to vote in our elections back home while they are serving abroad. Chapman calls it “unconscionable.” This program was only a small part of a much larger effort that the Secretary of State continues for the military.
Chapman organized a bipartisan coalition that presented a bill in last year’s Legislative Session that would allow members of the military and overseas voters the right to vote over a secure internet system. It was passed unanimously by a Senate Committee, but never came out of the House Committee. She is dedicated to continuing her commitment to this endeavor.
Chapman said she has met many members of our military who have been wounded. “If they are wounded and cannot be home for Christmas, then maybe we can take a little bit of Christmas home to them.” Chapman points out that if hardened criminals get one phone call when they are arrested, then those who have been wounded in defense of our country should have as many calls as they would like. Secretary Chapman thanks her fellow Alabamians for helping her make that happen.
To learn more, visit http://www.sos.alabama.gov/ or call 334-242-7200.
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