Since it's Veteran's Day, it seems like an appropriate time to talk about how the Georgia General Assembly has screwed military voters out of their opportunity to vote in runoff elections for state offices like the one we're about to have on December 1 (for PSC). #gapol 1/

To begin, you have to understand that there is a federal law, the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (known as UOCAVA "you-oh-cava"), that protects military voters and citizens living overseas. 2/
One provision of the UOCAVA requires states to send absentee ballots to protected UOCAVA voters at least 45 days before any federal election. This is because mail to and from overseas military can be very slow. 3/
Back in the early 2010s, the Department of Justice under Obama sued the State of Georgia because the state's election calendar held runoff elections too close to the general election to allow absentee ballots to meet the 45-day deadline. 4/
Georgia argued in court that the UOCAVA did not apply to runoff elections and it lost. UOCAVA applies to *all* federal elections, including runoff elections. 5/
As a result, the General Assembly amended the relevant statutes to push the date of any runoff for federal offices forward far enough to meet the 45-day UOCAVA deadline. This gives UOCAVA voters a much better chance to vote in federal runoffs like the one we'll have on Jan 5. 6/
But the General Assembly chose not to put runoffs for state offices on the same day. (Most states sync up their election days for state and federal office, but the General Assembly chose not to do so here.) 7/
This means that Georgia will have two general runoff elections -- one on December 1 for state offices (at least one race for PSC appears to be headed for a runoff), and one on January 5 for two U.S. Senate seats. 8/
This also means that many UOCAVA voters in Georgia won't have an equal opportunity to participate in the state runoff. There just isn't enough time for them to request, receive, and return and absentee ballot from overseas. 9/
Georgia uses something called a statewide write-in absentee ballot (SWAB) for circumstances like this. UOCAVA voters are sent an extra blank ballot along with their regular ballot for use in the event of a state runoff. 10/
But a SWAB is an inferior ballot. First, UOCAVA voters have to go to the SoS website to see if there is a runoff. Then, they have to write in their choice and return it to their county in time to be counted. 11/
Because the state runoff won't officially be scheduled until the SoS certifies the results on or about November 20, there just isn't enough time, as a practical matter, for UOCAVA voters to mail a ballot back unless the voter pays for something like FedEx. 12/
This is a disgrace, in my view, and one that the General Assembly should fix at its next opportunity. /end

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शमशान में जब महर्षि दधीचि के मांसपिंड का दाह संस्कार हो रहा था तो उनकी पत्नी अपने पति का वियोग सहन नहीं कर पायी और पास में ही स्थित विशाल पीपल वृक्ष के कोटर में अपने तीन वर्ष के बालक को रख के स्वयं चिता पे बैठ कर सती हो गयी ।इस प्रकार ऋषी दधीचि और उनकी पत्नी की मुक्ति हो गयी।


परन्तु पीपल के कोटर में रखा बालक भूख प्यास से तड़पने लगा। जब कुछ नहीं मिला तो वो कोटर में पड़े पीपल के गोदों (फल) को खाकर बड़ा होने लगा। कालान्तर में पीपल के फलों और पत्तों को खाकर बालक का जीवन किसी प्रकार सुरक्षित रहा।

एक दिन देवर्षि नारद वहां से गुजर रहे थे ।नारद ने पीपल के कोटर में बालक को देख कर उसका परिचय मांगा -
नारद बोले - बालक तुम कौन हो?
बालक - यही तो मैं भी जानना चहता हूँ ।
नारद - तुम्हारे जनक कौन हैं?
बालक - यही तो मैं भी जानना चाहता हूँ ।

तब नारद ने आँखें बन्द कर ध्यान लगाया ।


तत्पश्चात आश्चर्यचकित हो कर बालक को बताया कि 'हे बालक! तुम महान दानी महर्षि दधीचि के पुत्र हो । तुम्हारे पिता की अस्थियों का वज्रास्त्र बनाकर ही देवताओं ने असुरों पर विजय पायी थी।तुम्हारे पिता की मृत्यु मात्र 31 वर्ष की वय में ही हो गयी थी'।

बालक - मेरे पिता की अकाल मृत्यु का क्या कारण था?
नारद - तुम्हारे पिता पर शनिदेव की महादशा थी।
बालक - मेरे उपर आयी विपत्ति का कारण क्या था?
नारद - शनिदेव की महादशा।
इतना बताकर देवर्षि नारद ने पीपल के पत्तों और गोदों को खाकर बड़े हुए उस बालक का नाम पिप्पलाद रखा और उसे दीक्षित किया।