American Absentee Ballots From Embassy Or Consulate

[cm-happy]

are absentee ballots available for American citizen expats from the embassy or consulate? If they are what is the procedure, do I have to register or bring any special documents with me other than my passport. If I have to register, how far in advance of the next general election would I have to do so?

Getting a ballot from the county seat of my voting address in US was always a pain in the butt!

[sbk]

CM, I registered with the embassy and receive ACS emails from time to time.

I believe I read that you can vote at the embassy as well, you can check out the fvap website and the ACS section of the US Embassy website to confirm.

I just received this email the other day:

Voting Information for the 2008 Primary and General Elections

This is a reminder that in just a few months we will be entering the

U.S. presidential and state primary season. Five primaries are

currently slated for January, another 20 are scheduled for February,

and

the rest take place from early March through early October.

Registration for the first primary (the District of Columbia) closes

December 10, 2007. We encourage you to act now so that your opinion is

heard - not only in the November 2008 presidential and general

elections, but also in the presidential primary and state primary

elections! The official U.S. Government website for overseas absentee

voting assistance is the Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP)

website www.fvap.gov. <http://www.fvap.gov>

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.http://www.fvap.gov

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. 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 (FPCA).

<http://www.fvap.gov/services/fpca.html> The on-line 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 on-line 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, www.fvap.gov <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 forty-five 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.

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 (FWAB), 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.

Be an Educated Voter

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

<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 Officer at the Bangkok Embassy is also always

available to answer questions about absentee voting. To contact the

Voting Assistance Officer, call 02-205-4049 or send an e-mail to

[email protected]).

News Release # 17

November 27, 2007

NEW HAMPSHIRE AND MICHIGAN PRIMARY ELECTION DATES

New Hampshire and Michigan have scheduled their Presidential Primary

elections. New Hampshire will conduct their Presidential Primary

election on January 8, 2008 and Michigan will conduct their

Presidential

Primary election for January 15, 2008.

Voting Assistance Officers should inform New Hampshire and Michigan

voters and provide help as required in requesting and returning their

absentee ballot.

REGISTERING TO VOTE AND REQUESTING A BALLOT:

If you have not done so already in calendar year 2007, all members of

the U.S. Uniformed Services and their family members and citizens

residing outside the U.S. who are either New Hampshire or Michigan

residents should request a ballot by completing and submitting a

registration and ballot request Federal Post Card Application (FPCA),

SF-76, as soon as possible. The online version of the FPCA is

available

from the FVAP website at www.fvap.gov/pubs/onlinefpca.html.

OTHER EARLY PRIMARY ELECTIONS

The following states will hold Primary elections early in 2008. An

asterisk indicates a change from the date printed in the Voting

Assistance Guide:

New Hampshire* January 8, 2008

Michigan* January 15, 2008

South Carolina* ® January 19, 2008

Florida January 29, 2008

South Carolina* (D) January 29, 2008

Alabama February 5, 2008

Arizona* February 5, 2008

Arkansas February 5, 2008

California February 5, 2008

Connecticut February 5, 2008

Delaware February 5, 2008

Georgia February 5, 2008

Illinois February 5, 2008

Missouri February 5, 2008

New Jersey February 5, 2008

New Mexico (D) February 5, 2008

New York February 5, 2008

Oklahoma February 5, 2008

Tennessee February 5, 2008

Utah February 5, 2008

Louisiana February 9, 2008

District of Columbia* February 12, 2008

Maryland February 12, 2008

Virginia February 12, 2008

Washington February 19, 2008

Wisconsin February 19, 2008

Massachusetts March 4, 2008

Ohio March 4, 2008

Rhode Island March 4, 2008

Texas March 4, 2008

Vermont March 4, 2008

Puerto Rico March 9, 2008

Mississippi March 11, 2008

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

The FVAP can be contacted via 1-800-438-8683. Citizens may reach the

FVAP toll-free from 67 countries using the toll-free numbers listed on

the FVAP website, www.fvap.gov. Questions regarding the above may also

be referred to the Director, Federal Voting Assistance Program,

Department of Defense, 1155 Defense Pentagon, Washington DC 20301-1155,

and email at [email protected].

News Release # 16

November 20, 2007

OHIO TO HOLD A SPECIAL ELECTION ON DECEMBER 11, 2007 FOR REPRESENTATIVE

IN CONGRESS FROM THE 5th DISTRICT

As noted in News Release #12, there will be a special election in

Ohio's

5th Congressional District on Tuesday, December 11th, 2007 to fill the

seat of Representative Paul Gillmor. To determine if your legal

residence is in the 5th Congressional District, you can click on

"Communicating with Your Elected Officials", then "Who is my

Representative?" at the Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP)

website, www.fvap.gov/comm/communicating.html.

VAOs should contact those citizens they assist who are Ohio voters and

inform them of this news release and provide help to them in returning

their absentee ballot.

REQUESTING A BALLOT:

All members of the U.S. Uniformed Services, their family members and

citizens residing outside the U.S. who are Ohio residents from the 5th

District should request a ballot for this special election by

completing

and submitting a Federal Post Card Application (FPCA), SF-76, as soon

as

possible, if you have not done so already in calendar year 2007. The

online version of the FPCA is available from the FVAP website at

www.fvap.gov/pubs/onlinefpca.html. Specific instructions for Ohio are

available at: www.fvap.gov/pubs/vag/pdfvag/oh.pdf.

If you are already registered, the County Board of Elections must

receive your absentee ballot request not later than noon on Saturday,

December 8.

Ohio allows members of the U.S. Uniformed Services and their family

members to send the FPCA for ballot request by fax. After faxing,

submit

the original FPCA by mail. Use the following toll-free fax numbers for

the U.S. and Canada: 1-800-368-8683, (703) 693-5527 or DSN 223-5527

(military). At www.fvap.gov/services/faxing.html, there is a list of

additional toll-free fax numbers from overseas countries

APPLICATION FOR BALLOT BY PROXY:

If you are a member of the Armed Forces on active duty, or the spouse

or

dependent of a member of the Armed Forces on active duty, your father,

mother, father-in-law, mother-in-law, grandfather, grandmother,

brother,

sister, son, daughter, stepparent, stepchild, uncle, aunt, nephew, or

niece may request an absentee ballot for you, using either a special

form provided by the county board or an FPCA.

RECEIVING YOUR BALLOT:

Ohio allows members of the U.S. Uniformed Services and their family

members to receive the blank ballot by fax.

RETURNING YOUR BALLOT:

When returned within the U.S., your ballot will be counted if it

arrives

at the appropriate county board of election's office not later than the

close of polls on December 11, 2007.

If you are voting from outside the U.S., your ballot will be counted if

it arrives at the appropriate county board of elections not later than

December, 31, 2007, as long as it is signed not later than the close of

polls on election day.

Ohio does not allow return of the voted ballot by fax.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

State specific information on your precinct, candidates, elections, and

voting is available at the Ohio Secretary of State website,

www.sos.state.oh.us/.

The FVAP can be contacted via 1-800-438-8683. Citizens may reach the

FVAP toll-free from 67 countries using the toll-free numbers listed on

the FVAP website, www.fvap.gov. Questions regarding the above may also

be referred to the Director, Federal Voting Assistance Program,

Department of Defense, 1155 Defense Pentagon, [email protected] and on

the World Wide Web at www.fvap.gov.

News Release # 15

November 2, 2007

VIRGINIA TO HOLD A SPECIAL ELECTION ON DECEMBER 11, 2007 FOR

REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE 1ST DISTRICT

On December 11, 2007 there will be a special election in Virginia's 1st

U.S. Congressional District to fill the seat of Representative Jo Ann

Davis.

Voting Assistance Officers should inform Virginia 1st District voters

and provide help as required in requesting and returning their absentee

ballot.

To determine if your legal residence is in the 1st Congressional

District, click on "Communicating with Your Elected Officials", then

"Who is my Representative?" at the Federal Voting Assistance Program

(FVAP) website, www.fvap.gov.

REGISTERING TO VOTE AND REQUESTING A BALLOT:

If you have not done so already in calendar year 2007, all members of

the U.S. Uniformed Services and their family members and citizens

residing outside the U.S. who are Virginia residents from the 1st

District should request a ballot for this special election by

completing

and submitting a registration and ballot request - Federal Post Card

Application (FPCA), SF-76, as soon as possible. The online version of

the FPCA is available from the FVAP website at

www.fvap.gov/pubs/onlinefpca.html. Specific instructions for Virginia

are available at: http://www.fvap.gov/pubs/vag/pdfvag/va.pdf.

If you are already registered and only wish to request an absentee

ballot, send a completed FPCA to the General Registrar so that it

arrives not later than Tuesday, December 4, 2007 by 5:00 PM Eastern

Standard Time.

You may submit the FPCA for registration and for absentee ballot

request

by fax or as an email attachment. After faxing or emailing, submit the

original FPCA by mail. Use the following toll-free fax numbers for the

U.S. and Canada: 1-800-368-8683, (703) 693-5527 or DSN 223-5527

(military). At www.fvap.gov/services/faxing.html, there is a list of

additional toll-free fax numbers from overseas countries.

UNIFORMED SERVICES - To register permanently and request an absentee

ballot, send a completed FPCA to the General Registrar so that it

arrives not later than Tuesday, December 4, 2007 by 5:00 PM Eastern

Standard Time.

CIVILIANS OUTSIDE THE US - Residents of Virginia who reside temporarily

outside the U.S. and maintain their Virginia place of abode may

register

permanently and request an absentee ballot by sending a completed FPCA

to the General Registrar so that it arrives not later than Tuesday,

December 4, 2007 by 5:00 PM Eastern Standard Time.

Residents of Virginia living outside the U.S. who no longer have a

Virginia place of abode may be registered temporarily. To register

temporarily and request an absentee ballot, send a completed FPCA to

the

General Registrar so that it arrives not later than Tuesday, December

4,

2007 by 5:00 PM Eastern Standard Time.

RECEIVING YOUR BALLOT:

Local Election Officials mail absentee ballots 30 days or as soon as

available prior to the special election.

UNIFORMED SERVICES - Virginia allows overseas military members to

receive the blank ballot by email or fax upon request.

CIVILIANS OUTSIDE U.S. - Some Virginia counties and cities allow you to

receive the blank ballot by email or fax upon request. For a list of

these counties, check the Virginia State Board of Elections website at

http://www.sbe.virginia.gov

To request that your ballot be sent to you by email or fax, indicate

your preference on the FPCA. Write your email address or your fax

number

with all necessary prefixes and country codes and the range of time

(e.g. 8am - 4pm Eastern Standard Time) that you would be able to

receive

the fax. After receiving your ballot by email you must print out the

ballot and oath envelope. You must complete the faxed or emailed ballot

and return the voted ballot and oath envelope by mail or a commercial

delivery service. Refer to http://www.sbe.virginia.gov for more

information.

FEDERAL WRITE-IN-ABSENTEE BALLOT (FWAB):

Virginia allows registered voters to use the Federal Write-In Absentee

Ballot (FWAB) for this special election simultaneously as an absentee

ballot request and ballot for Federal offices as long as it arrives not

later than Thursday, December 6, 2007.

The oath on the return envelope or on the Voter Declaration/Affirmation

on the FWAB must be witnessed, and the witness must provide his/her

signature, printed name and address in the witness signature box.

The FWAB is available online at:

http://www.fvap.gov/pubs/onlinefwab.html

Virginia does not allow you to return the voted FWAB by fax or email.

BALLOT RETURN DEADLINE:

Voted ballots must arrive by the close of polls which is 7:00 P.M.

Eastern Standard Time on December 11, 2007.

Virginia does not allow you to return the voted ballot by fax or email.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Candidate names will be available on no later than November 19th at the

Virginia State Board of Elections website at

http://www.sbe.virginia.gov. The Virginia State Board of Elections can

be contacted via email at [email protected].

The FVAP can be contacted via 1-800-438-8683. Citizens may reach the

FVAP toll-free from 67 countries using the toll-free numbers listed on

the FVAP website, www.fvap.gov. Questions regarding the above may also

be referred to the Director, Federal Voting Assistance Program,

Department of Defense, 1155 Defense Pentagon, Washington, DC 20301-1155

and via email at [email protected].

News Release # 14

November 2, 2007

Upcoming Features of the FVAP Website

The Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) will add a series of new

features to the FVAP website, the first of which will launch in

December

of 2007. These new features help facilitate the absentee voting

process

for military and overseas citizens through the use of electronic

solutions.

On September 26, 2007, the FVAP awarded a Firm-Fixed price contract to

Criterion Systems to develop a comprehensive, secure solution that will

provide citizens covered under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens

Absentee Voters Act (UOCAVA) with the ability to electronically

complete

the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) to register to vote and/or

request a ballot.

The first feature, available this December, is an automated version of

FPCA which will be tailored to state-specific requirements and guide

users through the process of completing and submitting the form. In

addition, this new feature will allow voters to securely transmit the

completed form to their local election office through a Department of

Defense server.

Next spring, in preparation for the 2008 General Election, the FVAP

will

be adding two additional features to the FVAP website. The first will

allow the local official to provide a blank ballot to the voter through

the secure Department of Defense server, and the second will allow

citizens to digitally sign their FPCA.

The FVAP can be contacted via 1-800-438-8683 and by using the toll-free

numbers from 67 countries listed on the FVAP website, www.fvap.gov

<http://www.fvap.gov> . Questions regarding the above may also be

referred to the Director, Federal Voting Assistance Program, Department

of Defense, 1155 Defense Pentagon, Washington, DC, 20301-1155, and at

[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> .

News Release # 13

October 19, 2007

MISSOURI TO ALLOW DESIGNATED ABSENTEE VOTERS TO RETURN THEIR VOTED

BALLOT FOR THE FEBRUARY 5, 2008 PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY BY EMAIL OR FAX

Missouri Secretary of State Robin Carnahan has declared that voters who

are in Federal service and are eligible to receive hostile fire,

imminent danger pay, or are in a location designated as a combat zone

by

the IRS (see http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=108331,00.html),

may return their voted ballots by fax or email. This declaration

applies only for the February 5, 2008 Presidential Preference Primary

election.

Under Missouri election law, a person in Federal service includes:

(a) Members of the armed forces of the United States,

while in active service, and their spouses and dependents;

( Active members of the merchant marine of the United

States and their spouses and dependents;

© Civilian employees of the United States government

working outside the boundaries of the United States, and their spouses

and dependents;

(d) Active members of religious or welfare organizations

assisting servicemen, and their spouses and dependents;

(e) Persons who have been honorably discharged from the

armed forces or who have terminated their service or employment in any

group mentioned in this section within sixty days of an election, and

their spouses and dependents.

Missouri does not allow UOCAVA citizens to receive their blank absentee

ballot by fax or email. The absentee ballot must be mailed to the

citizen. Absentee ballots for the Presidential Preference Primary will

be available by December 24, 2007.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

State specific information on your precinct, candidates, elections, and voting is available at the Missouri Secretary of State website,

http://www.sos.mo.gov/.

The FVAP can be contacted via 1-800-438-8683 and by using the toll-free

numbers from 67 countries listed on the FVAP website, www.fvap.gov/

<http://www.fvap.gov/services/tollfree.html> . Questions regarding the

above may also be referred to the Director, Federal Voting Assistance

Program, Department of Defense, 1155 Defense Pentagon, Washington, DC,

20301-1155, and at [email protected].

[sfokevin]

What if you are a US citizen and do not want to affiliate with a specific state (for tax reasons )... Where do you send it?