American expats and Absentee Voting

[Mekong Bob]

I intend to drop off my ballot at the US Consulate in Chiang Mai. What assurances have been given regarding the safe and timely delivery of our ballots to our Boards of Elections? 

[Gumballl]

That's easy... none.

 

Read the headlines; Trump has a crony running the USPS. Mail service will not be as swift as it used to be. Anyhow, once your ballot reaches stateside, it may very well arrive late. Regardless, I hope you will still cast your vote.

[noise]

Go to https://www.fvap.gov/ and then to your state.   You may find that you can send in your ballot by email or fax.

[MrBrad]

I've always deposited my ballot at the Consulate for postage-free delivery to Minnesota (which does not permit email or fax delivery). 

 

I've found that doing so, however, has resulted in slow delivery...up to a month!  In fact, once for a primary election some years ago my ballot remained at the Consulate without being sent on to the States.  At that time I wrote to the Consul General to inform her that my ballot was never received by my county clerk.  It was eventually found and sent on, although weeks after the election.  She promised that ballots would receive full attention by her staff, and that it wouldn't (or at least shouldn't) happen again.  Since then, my ballots have been received in time to be counted.  (The Minnesota Secretary of State's website is good about posting when the ballot was received at the county level.)

 

This fall, though, given the gravity of this crucial election, to say nothing for the decisive and diabolical messing around with the postal system, I will spend the unnecessary baht to send my ballot by FedEx.

[Rama]

Well, considering that the new US ambassador to Thailand is a political appointee and not a career diplomat;......you can go from there. I'm sure he'll make sure it's handled appropriately....

[VillageIdiot]

2 hours ago, Rama said:

Well, considering that the new US ambassador to Thailand is a political appointee and not a career diplomat;......you can go from there. I'm sure he'll make sure it's handled appropriately....

Rest easy.

   Trump's apointee as Ambassador to Thailand was Michael G. DeSombre, a corporate lawyer who had led his firm's mergers and acquisitions department.

   The Consul General in Chiang Mai is Sean K. O'Neill who has had extensive diplomatic experience in Hong Kong, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Bangladesh, and Pakistan.

   Our votes will be safe in his hands.

   

[MrBrad]

2 minutes ago, VillageIdiot said:

Rest easy.

   Trump's apointee as Ambassador to Thailand was Michael G. DeSombre, a corporate lawyer who had led his firm's mergers and acquisitions department.

   The Consul General in Chiang Mai is Sean K. O'Neill who has had extensive diplomatic experience in Hong Kong, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Bangladesh, and Pakistan.

   Our votes will be safe in his hands.

   

I don't mistrust that.  But once the ballots reach the US they're handed over to the postal service.  That's where the uncertainty arises.

[jmccarty]

5 hours ago, noise said:

Go to https://www.fvap.gov/ and then to your state.   You may find that you can send in your ballot by email or fax.

Yes, you can easily vote by email registration and then upload your vote printed out on a bespoke ballot made for you.

[abrahamzvi]

5 hours ago, MrBrad said:

I've always deposited my ballot at the Consulate for postage-free delivery to Minnesota (which does not permit email or fax delivery). 

 

I've found that doing so, however, has resulted in slow delivery...up to a month!  In fact, once for a primary election some years ago my ballot remained at the Consulate without being sent on to the States.  At that time I wrote to the Consul General to inform her that my ballot was never received by my county clerk.  It was eventually found and sent on, although weeks after the election.  She promised that ballots would receive full attention by her staff, and that it wouldn't (or at least shouldn't) happen again.  Since then, my ballots have been received in time to be counted.  (The Minnesota Secretary of State's website is good about posting when the ballot was received at the county level.)

 

This fall, though, given the gravity of this crucial election, to say nothing for the decisive and diabolical messing around with the postal system, I will spend the unnecessary baht to send my ballot by FedEx.

You are doing the right thing for your country!

[PoodThaiMaiDai]

I trust the ballots more with the USPS versus the local governments. That is what is sad.

[Srikcir]

7 hours ago, MrBrad said:

I've always deposited my ballot at the Consulate for postage-free delivery to Minnesota (which does not permit email or fax delivery). 

 

I've found that doing so, however, has resulted in slow delivery...up to a month!  In fact, once for a primary election some years ago my ballot remained at the Consulate without being sent on to the States.  At that time I wrote to the Consul General to inform her that my ballot was never received by my county clerk.  It was eventually found and sent on, although weeks after the election.  She promised that ballots would receive full attention by her staff, and that it wouldn't (or at least shouldn't) happen again.  Since then, my ballots have been received in time to be counted.  (The Minnesota Secretary of State's website is good about posting when the ballot was received at the county level.)

 

This fall, though, given the gravity of this crucial election, to say nothing for the decisive and diabolical messing around with the postal system, I will spend the unnecessary baht to send my ballot by FedEx.

I understand that the "postage free" amounts to 2nd class mail versus 1st class mail. Hence, mailing time may be much longer. Some have advised that when mailing ballot within the US to place 55 cents postage on the prepaid envelope to assure first class delivery. Of course, that's aside from sorters being removed and USPS personnel not allowed overtime.

[connda]

Check with Elections at your state's Secretary of State office to see if they accept email ballots.  Easy breezy. 

[wwest5829]

3 hours ago, MrBrad said:

I don't mistrust that.  But once the ballots reach the US they're handed over to the postal service.  That's where the uncertainty arises.

Valid concern and observation.

[bronzedude]

2 hours ago, jmccarty said:

Yes, you can easily vote by email registration and then upload your vote printed out on a bespoke ballot made for you.

I just downloaded, filled out an absentee ballot request and sent it to the email address for my State. This part seemed easy. I hope I receive the appropriate ballots by email and then are able to send them back by email. We'll see. Thanks for the link.

[wwest5829]

I directed the question to the US Consulate in Chiang Mai. The following is their reply. My experience with my request for voting in the Kentucky Primary was never delivered after giving through the window at the Consulate. So, for the Absentee Ballot request, I mailed the request June 27th by ThaiPost EMS. It was received at US Customs, Chicago July 27th (result of lack of air service to US). It left US Customs, Chicago And was delivered August 10th. As Kentucky requires that I mail back my Absentee Ballot, I have little assurance of using regular mail services due to the current manipulation for political aims by the current administration. DHL promises delivery within 3 days at a cost of around $33.00 USD. It appears that to be assured of delivery of my vote I must pay a Poll Tax for delivery.

=======================

“For your mailing your ballot, we can assist, please find below more information:

 

Returning Your Completed, Signed Voting Materials: All U.S. citizens can receive their blank ballots or voter registration forms electronically. Depending on the state in which you are eligible to vote, you may get your voting documents by email, fax, or internet download. Some states allow you to return your completed ballot electronically and others do not. If your state requires you to return paper voting forms or ballots to local election officials by mail, you can do so through international mail, professional courier service, or through the  U.S. Consulate General Chiang Mai. 

 

U.S. citizen voters can mail these forms to the addresse below. Please ensure your voter registration form or ballot is sealed, addressed, and has U.S. postage before being placed inside of a separate envelope that is used to mail the ballot to the U.S. Consulate.

 

U.S. Consulate General Chiang Mai

American Citizen Services

Attn: Voting Assistance Officer

387 Wichayanond Rd

T. Chang Moi, A. Muang

Chiang Mai 50300 Thailand

If you would like more information on the Federal Voting Assistance Program, or need help with the absentee voting process, please go to FVAP.gov or email ([email protected]). You may also direct questions to the U.S. Consulate General Chiang Mai's Voting Assistance Officer at [email protected].

 

 

Sincerely,

Voting Team

[Brightly]

I first attempted to register to vote through the .gov website listed by the Consulate/Embassy.

 

No problems with that website, although it directed me to print and send in a “postcard application,’ with presumed mail-in voting to follow.
 

Worried about mail delivery, I went looking for another way to register.

 

I ultimately finalized my registration via www.votefromabroad.org, a non-partisan website devoted to getting all overseas voters registered and positioned to vote.

 

I emailed my application, and requested receipt of my application.  Additionally, I requested confirmation that I will be able to vote electronically in the upcoming election.

 

I received a prompt email response from the absentee county registrar for my state.  He confirmed receipt of my application; additionally, my ability to vote electronically for the 2020 presidential election was confirmed.

 

Voting registration and actual voting practices will vary by state, obviously.  But I’m VERY satisfied with how my application was directed to my state county registrar via www.votefromabroad.org.

[wwest5829]

7 minutes ago, bronzedude said:

I just downloaded, filled out an absentee ballot request and sent it to the email address for my State. This part seemed easy. I hope I receive the appropriate ballots by email and then are able to send them back by email. We'll see. Thanks for the link.

Depends on you State. The Commonwealth of Kentucky requires the Absentee Ballot be returned by mail (as do several other states).

[Mavideol]

3 hours ago, jmccarty said:

Yes, you can easily vote by email registration and then upload your vote printed out on a bespoke ballot made for you.

does Trump knows about it ? and he didn't block it yet, like he's doing with USPS, keep fingers crossed 555

[ChouDoufu]

8 hours ago, MrBrad said:

This fall, though, given the gravity of this crucial election, to say nothing for the decisive and diabolical messing around with the postal system, I will spend the unnecessary baht to send my ballot by FedEx.

no postmark?

 

https://nypost.com/2020/08/15/fedex-and-ups-say-they-cant-help-deliver-mail-in-ballots/

[fceligoj]

I am doing my absentee ballot by email, New Jersey.  Was told if you were in residency in the US, then they would accept a mail-in, but not international.

[IraqRon]

54 minutes ago, bronzedude said:

I just downloaded, filled out an absentee ballot request and sent it to the email address for my State. This part seemed easy. I hope I receive the appropriate ballots by email and then are able to send them back by email. We'll see. Thanks for the link.

I suspect that republican supporters at the local level will do all they can to help sabotage the mailin vote.  Many if not all are appointed by local politicians in the counties and in the big states such as Texas, Florida, etc are repubs.

 

[jmccarty]

53 minutes ago, Mavideol said:

does Trump knows about it ? and he didn't block it yet, like he's doing with USPS, keep fingers crossed 555

Trump does not know much outside of his view of the world and doubt expat votes are what he is fearing.  But the online vote for us expats should be available in all states.

[Kelsall]

[elektrified]

On 8/17/2020 at 8:15 AM, noise said:

Go to https://www.fvap.gov/ and then to your state.   You may find that you can send in your ballot by email or fax.

I normally receive my ballot by post. Is this an alternative? Just curious because the link posted further down in the thread is for people to register to vote.

[Emdog]

I'm registered in Oregon and all set to vote online. Do have to print out ballot, sign, scan and email back. I can handle that.

In simpler times, I simply walked into US Embassy in Kathmandu to vote in 96 election. Could only vote for federal offices. I wonder if that avenue is still available?

[jimgilly]

How could anyone in their right mind vote for either candidate?  The election is going to be a farce like pretty much everything else.  Save your postage as like every other election, it's not going to make any difference.

[opalred]

trump putting signs on garbage bins/POST HERE

[holy cow cm]

Fax it. 

[grin]

Nevada has allowed me to send in ballots by email for some time now. 

[amexpat]

12 hours ago, jimgilly said:

How could anyone in their right mind vote for either candidate?  The election is going to be a farce like pretty much everything else.  Save your postage as like every other election, it's not going to make any difference.

That's what Russians are posting on US social media. Maybe it worked last time.