Barbara Bachmeier: Woman Kicked Off Alaska Ballot For Being Homeless

Barbara Bachmeier is at a completely different place in life from where she was less than a year ago, but despite her efforts, the Division of Elections has removed her name from the congressional ballot in Alaska. Why? Because she doesn’t meet the 12 month residency requirement for the state. See, just 10 months ago, Bachmeier was homeless.

Newser reports that Barbara now owns a home in Anchorage, and also has a job as a real estate agent. Now that the army veteran is trying to run for Congress, however, the Division of Elections is denying her, saying that, because she lived in a camper shell on the back of her truck less than a year ago, she doesn’t technically meet the 12-month residency requirement to run, despite the fact that she did live in Alaska.

According to The Anchorage Daily News, Bachmeier stated:

“I knew I could run for the House and represent these people well because I have experienced homelessness as a product of the VA not helping me.”

Alaska Native News reports that the complaint against Barbara Bachmeier was filed by attorney Scott Kendall on behalf of two Alaska voters, Scott Smestad and John Nelson, although the former candidate believes that the complaint actually originated from her competition, Gabrielle LeDoux.

When she asked if she was involved, LeDoux replied, according to Newser, that:

“I actually don’t think that’s a relevant question. I think the only important question is whether or not Barbara Bachmeier was constitutionally eligible to run in this district. And the Division of Elections found that she had not lived in the district long enough. You know, somebody tried to get away with something, but the division didn’t let them do it.”

Do you think that Barbara Bachmeier should be allowed to run for Congress, despite being homeless for two of the last 12 months?