ABSENTEE VOTING

U.S. citizens who used to live and vote in the U.S. mainland but are now residing abroad, including in the Northern Mariana Islands, may still vote via the absentee voting process. Here’s how:

[B]Who may vote[/B]

Generally, all U.S. citizens 18 years or older who are or will be residing outside the United States during an election period are eligible to vote absentee in any election for federal office. This includes primary, run-off, and special elections that occur throughout the year, as well as the general election in November 2008. Some states allow overseas voters to vote in elections for state and local offices, and for state and local referendums.

Voting eligibility and residency requirements are determined by the various U.S. states, and are available on-line at http://fvap.gov/pubs/vag.html.

[B]To register as absentee voters, U.S. citizens abroad must know their home state.[/B]

Your “legal state of residence” for voting purposes is the state where you last resided immediately prior to departure from the United States. Voting rights extend to overseas citizens even though they may no longer own property or have other ties to their last state of residence, and even if their intent to return to that state may be uncertain. For those who have never resided in the U.S., sixteen states, to date, allow eligible U.S. citizens to register where a parent would be eligible to vote.

To register to vote and/or apply for an absentee ballot, you can use the Federal Post Card Application. The online version, the OFPCA, is accepted by all states and territories except American Samoa and Guam.

Voters from American Samoa and Guam must use the standard form of the FPCA, available at the Consulate General or through many American civic groups. The online OFPCA form must be completed legibly, printed, signed, dated, and mailed to your local election officials. Your state may allow faxing to speed the process, but you will still need to send in the original by mail. Use an envelope and affix proper postage.

The official U.S. Government website for overseas absentee voting assistance, http://www.fvap.gov, has a wealth of information about absentee voting, including the state-specific instructions for completing the FPCA form, links to state and local officials, and a downloadable emergency ballot for use by those who register in time but fail to receive an official ballot.

As a general rule, you should try to send in the FPCA so that it reaches your local election officials at least 45 days before the first election in which you are eligible to vote—ample time for them to process the request and send you a blank ballot. If applying for both registration and an absentee ballot, you may want to mail the FPCA earlier. One FPCA will qualify you to receive all ballots for Federal offices for the next two regular Federal elections (through 2010). However, we recommend that you submit a new FPCA in January of every year, and whenever you move, to ensure that your most recent mailing and e-mail addresses are on file with your local election officials.

[B]They must vote on time.[/B]

Under normal circumstances, most states and territories begin sending ballots to overseas citizens 30-45 days before an election. However, if you haven’t received your ballot within three weeks of your state’s ballot receipt deadline, and you are required to return your voted ballot by mail, you should download, complete, sign, date, and send in a Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot, available at http://www.fvap.gov/pubs/onlinefwab.html. Make sure it is witnessed if required by your state. If you subsequently receive your regular absentee ballot, execute it and return it regardless of when you receive it. Court decisions sometimes require late counting of ballots voted by Election Day, but received by local election officials for a specified period of time following Election Day.

Even 45 days can be a tight squeeze to send/receive all of the necessary materials and it leaves very little time for error. Thus, it is critical to register and send ballots off in a timely manner.

The Overseas Voter Foundation provides information on the 2008 registration and ballot request deadlines.

[B]Deadlines vary[/B]

The State-Specific Voter Information Directory (https://www.overseasvotefoundation.org/state-voter-information-directory) provides deadlines by state and voter type. Just click the option on the left menu listing and you can access the state-by-state deadline lists for the 2008 elections.

Differences are found between deadlines for new registrations versus “ballot requests” for already registered voters. If you someone is already a registered voter in their state and only need to request a ballot, their deadline may be extended. The same exact form can be used for these different functions.

Uniformed service members, their families and dependents may also have extended deadlines.

We encourage all voters, regardless of type or registration status to send forms in as early as possible before the election. Even 45 days is tight for your election official time to process your request and send your ballot, then for you to receive it, vote and mail it back. It also doesn’t leave time for any error to be corrected.

Sometimes you will see that a state allows registration up to the day of the election. That is very nice for local voters, but it is erroneous for you as an overseas absentee voter. You have to realistically consider the time it takes for the transit of registration forms, blank ballots, completed ballots, etc.

Don’t forget the processing time. Do the best you can to send in your registration/ballot request form early!

[B]They must provide one of the following forms of ID[/B]

· Social Security Number

· Valid in-state Drivers License number

· Valid Passport number

· Military ID number

[B]Ways to register as an absentee voter:[/B]

1. Overseas Vote Foundation:

https://www.overseasvotefoundation.org/

This a nonpartisan organization that provides voter registration, ballot request and help desk services for U.S. Overseas Citizens and Uniformed Services Members and Families. Here Americans abroad can register to vote and apply for a ballot easily, avoiding a process that would take weeks otherwise.

They must provide one of the following forms of ID:

– Social Security Number

– Valid in-state Drivers License number

– Valid Passport number

– Military ID number

The OVF registration system prompts the user for all of the information required for their particular state.

– Download the form.

– Be sure to follow the instructions in the letter attached to the end of the ballot request form.

– They must remember to sign and send their form to their election official who needs the original signature on file.

– The correct address will be provided on the letter attached to the form.

– It is advisable to follow up with local election officials after sending the registration/ballot request form.

The OVF website provides many services useful services. Including:

– My Voter Account™ – a service which makes it possible to keep an up-to-date voter profile on hand, maintain a mailing list profile, generate a new ballot request form or a write in ballot with the click of a button

– Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot wizard – the Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot finally made easy! This is a blank ballot for registered voters to use in the event that the ballot arrives late.

– OVF Voter Help Desk™ – fast and friendly answers to voting questions

– OVF Election Official Directory™ – the most comprehensive listing of election office contact information available.

– OVF State-specific Voter Information Directory™ – state-by-state information bank providing details on deadlines, voter materials transmission options and state contact information

– Links to nonpartisan candidate information sites

– OVF news – check the latest stories on overseas and military voting

2. Youth Vote Overseas: https://yvo.overseasvotefoundation.org/overseas/home.htm

3. Military Voter Services: https://military.overseasvotefoundation.org/overseas/home.htm

4. FedEx Express

https://www.overseasvotefoundation.org/overseas/ExpressYourVote.htm

Working with the OVF, FedEx offers an alternative to regular postal services when posting ballots from abroad.

This is a new program that provides express delivery of absentee ballots between September 15th and October 29th 2008. FedEx will pick up ballots in 89 countries and return them within one to five days for discounted fees of up to $23.50. This service is free in Australia, New Zealand and12 Asian countries, includes tracking capabilities and confirmation of receipt.

5. Federal Voting Assistance Program

http://www.fvap.gov/

[B]The Basic Absentee Voting Process[/B]

Step 1: Citizen completes and mails the Federal Post Card Application Form (SF-76), Registration and Absentee Ballot Request Form.

Step 2: Local Election Official approves Registration request or requests further information

Step 3: Local Election Official mails absentee ballot*

Step 4: Citizen votes and mails the absentee ballot to the Local Election Official in time to meet state deadlines.

* In order to receive an absentee ballot in a timely manner, it is imperative for citizens to keep their local election official informed of address changes.

This website includes state by state instructions.

6. Embassies

US citizens can register at their local Embassy or consulate – consulates can help with the registration process.

State Department Information:

http://travel.state.gov/law/info/info_2964.html

[B]Be an Educated Voter[/B]

Non-partisan information about candidates, their voting records, and their positions on issues is widely available and easy to obtain via the Internet. Use the links appearing on the FVAP website at http://www.fvap.gov/links/otherlinks.html, read your hometown newspaper on-line, or search the Internet to locate articles and information.

The Voting Assistance Officers at U.S. Embassies and Consulates overseas are available to answer questions about absentee voting.

[I]Source: 2008 Absentee Voting Information for Americans Abroad[/I] [B]ON THE NET[/B] Federal Voting Assistance Program website: www.fvap.gov