Judge says Va violated absentee voters' rights

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - A federal judge has ruled that Virginia violated the voting rights of military service members and other Americans living overseas when state elections officials failed to send them ballots for last year's presidential election on time.

U.S. District Judge Richard Williams also ordered the Virginia Board of Elections to count and certify valid absentee ballots for the election after reaching an agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice on how the process will be conducted.

The ballots from military service members and others serving outside the state were the focus of a lawsuit filed by Republican candidate John McCain's campaign, which alleged that they weren't mailed in time for overseas voters to return them before the polls closed on Nov. 4, 2008.

http://www.nbc12.com/Global/story.asp?S=11328651