HARRISBURG -- Gov. Ed Rendell insisted yesterday that all Pennsylvania military and civilian voters who are overseas will have their votes counted if they are received by the legal deadline of Friday.

Rendell, a Democrat, said he was angry about statements by some Republican officials and radio announcers who were misinforming the public by claiming that overseas absentee ballots won't be counted.

"I am offended by the implication that I'm disenfranchising people using overseas ballots," Rendell, who was in Philadelphia, said in a phone interview with reporters around the state. "I have received no credible evidence of any voters being denied their right to vote."

Rendell said some Republicans and radio talk show hosts were incorrectly urging him to "extend the deadline" beyond Friday's close of business for counting absentee ballots from overseas military and civilian personnel. He said the deadline was set by state law and only a judge could extend it.

He said that 65 of the state's 67 counties mailed out their overseas absentee ballots by the deadline of Sept. 20 and that should allow sufficient time for the ballots to be returned to the voters' home counties by Friday.

Rendell said that in Venango and Huntingdon counties, ballots were not sent out on time, and the state will pay to have them express-mailed to those residents who are overseas.