Pentagon blocks access to overseas voter registration site

Looks like the Bushistas figured out which way the wind was blowing on overseas absentee ballots — especially in countries with a high Democratic turnout.

Pentagon blocks site for voters outside U.S.

In a decision that could affect Americans abroad who are not yet registered to vote in the Nov. 2 presidential election, the Pentagon has begun restricting international access to the official Web site intended to help overseas absentee voters cast ballots.

According to overseas-voter advocates who have been monitoring the situation, Internet service providers in at least 25 countries - including Yahoo Broadband in Japan, Wanadoo in France, BT Yahoo Broadband in Britain and Telefónica in Spain - have been denied access to the site of the Federal Voting Assistance Program, apparently to protect it from hackers.

"Apparently to protect it from hackers," my foot.  The countries targeted are those with a strong Democrats Abroad presence:  DA-Japan is a powerhouse, and the other countries are registering Democrats like there's no tomorrow.

The good news is that most DA chapters were already relying on TellAnAmericanToVote.com and OverseasVote2004.com instead of the Pentagon's site, which was relatively hard to use — but still.  With the hard deadline for requesting an absentee ballot just days away (October 2 or 3 in most states), this is a sneaky, dirty tactic to reduce turnout from overseas.