If You Are American And Want To Vote...

[amibiswas]

Hello everyone - if you are American and want to vote in this year's election, please contact me and I'll send you instructions on how to get an absentee ballot.

Deadline for most states is around early-mid October, so please contact me no later than end of September.

My email is amibiswasmd at gmail.com

Good luck to your candidate!

Cheers

Ami Biswas

[amibiswas]

that's amibiswasmd at gmail.com

It's free, it's easy, it's the right thing to do

Edited September 18, 2008 by PeaceBlondie
Eliminate email -not permitted on these forums.

[jumnien]

What if you are stateless, just want to vote in the national elections, but don't want to pay state income tax?

[jcon]

I only vote if somebody gives me 200 baht or a cow for my village.

[jumnien]

I was thinking 80 baht and a medium-sized hen.

[Jingthing]

What if you are stateless, just want to vote in the national elections, but don't want to pay state income tax?

The rule is you can register in the state that you LAST voted in while residing in the US. Not sure how this works if you never voted in a US state. Registering as an expat voter does NOT make you a resident of that state. No problem with that.

[jumnien]

What if you are stateless, just want to vote in the national elections, but don't want to pay state income tax?

The rule is you can register in the state that you LAST voted in while residing in the US. Not sure how this works if you never voted in a US state. Registering as an expat voter does NOT make you a resident of that state. No problem with that.

So I don't need to list any US address, correct?

PS. I was enjoying the farang thread...

[thaihome]

I'll make it easy, not need to get on someones e-mail list:

Vote From Abroad

[Jingthing]

...So I don't need to list any US address, correct?...

It will be easier if you can supply the LAST US address you had when you LAST voted in a US election. That is all.

[jcon]

I was thinking 80 baht and a medium-sized hen.

I'll take it. I was just setting a high price but 80 baht and a hen and I will vote for you forever. I will even drive a taxi around central Bangkok and pick fights with "F"-words if they talk smack about you.

I do have a real question that "the J-word" brought up above: What if you have never voted in any US state and are currently an expat? How would you register?

[amibiswas]

I'll make it easy, not need to get on someones e-mail list:

Vote From Abroad

Hi all,

Actually, I am directing anyone who gets in touch with me to go to this very same website.

The reason I asked to email me is so I can keep count of how many people are registering through ThaiVisa. I am working with a group of Get Out The Vote (GOTV) activists and we're trying to keep track of where we're getting the best response from. Resources for GOTV efforts are limited and we want to channel them as best we can. No one will be put on any e-mail list.

If anyone prefers not to email me and goes to www.votefromabroad.org directly, I would appreciate if you would post a note on this thread saying that you registered - that helps me keep a tally just as well, without the privacy concerns.

Cheers,

Ami

Edited September 18, 2008 by amibiswas

[T_Dog]

I'll make it easy, not need to get on someones e-mail list:

Vote From Abroad

That website assumes that you have a FAX number. If you don't have one, you get stuck using that website.

[amibiswas]

I'll make it easy, not need to get on someones e-mail list:

Vote From Abroad

That website assumes that you have a FAX number. If you don't have one, you get stuck using that website.

If anyone needs additional help, feel free to contact me by email: [email protected]

No charges, no fees, you will not be added to any email lists.

Good luck,

Ami Biswas

[PeaceBlondie]

I spent the evening at the UN Irish Pub last night with a guy named Chang from my old Chinese neighborhood, etc. Covered that very well, thanks (T, Amy says hi). Chang is even hunting down American Mennonite women in head coverings (who probably don't vote).

I was born in Chicago. Vote early and often.

[Old Man River]

Hello everyone - if you are American and want to vote in this year's election, please contact me and I'll send you instructions on how to get an absentee ballot.

Deadline for most states is around early-mid October, so please contact me no later than end of September.

My email is amibiswasmd at gmail.com

Good luck to your candidate!

Cheers

Ami Biswas

I went to the US Embassy, after reading a thread on TV two months ago, so I am not sure how you want to handle that.

When do they send the actual absentee ballot out? I had the US Embassy send out our cards (forget what they call the federal card that you fill out), and we have been waiting for a month now and nothing has arrived. How long do you normally get the absentee ballot after the local voter registration authority has received it?

[dotcom]

I filled out the form at the 4th of July picnic.

Got a card back from my county registrar. Hopefully they will send me a ballot.

[autonomous_unit]

A good source of information is Federal Voter Assistance Program which has a way to dig up rules for any state.

As a general rule, you have to register to vote using a US address but this is your "voting address" and does not imply actual residence. If you ever lived in the US, your voting address/district is the last place you resided before leaving. If you never lived in the US, your voting address is your parents' last address. I am not sure where the esoteric rules go if your parents never lived there either...?

As far as maintaining your non-residence, make sure you check the right box for living outside the US indefinitely, and consider whether voting in local state/county issues may affect your status. I don't know whether there are traps/gotchas there, and say so since people seem to be worried about this issue on the thread. Voting in the federal elections does not imply state residence.

By the way, I used the FVAP forms a long while ago and received a "sample ballot" from Los Angeles County just recently. I don't know when the real ballots will be sent out.

[PeaceBlondie]

Here is a link

http://www.votefromabroad.org/?adid=KOFW0109991060801

[Jingthing]

Here is a nice partisan link: https://obama.overseasvotefoundation.org/overseas/home.htm

Time is running out. If are able to vote in a state that is likely to be close, every vote counts. If not, perhaps a waste of postage. There are some surprising states in play this time: North Carolina, Virginia, Colorado, Minnesota as well as the usual Florida style suspects.

[amibiswas]

Hello everyone -

Thanks to all the good and useful advice, great to see people helping each other register to vote.

We definitely recommend getting your registration materials in by the END OF SEPTEMBER. For most states, the due dates are early to mid October, and you'll likely get your ballots by mid-end October. You'll need to send it in postmarked no later than Election Day, 4 November.

There are a number of websites where you can get registration materials. We prefer you use votefromabroad.org as that is "our" site and we can track our progress through there, but the other sites mentioned here will work just as well for you.

If you're having trouble or have questions, feel free to post here or email me at [email protected]

And if you register yourself or help others register, I'd appreciat a shout either here or at my email, just so I can keep track of how many people I've managed to help.

Good luck and good voting!

Ami

[Gumballl]

A little off-topic, but how does a US-citizen determine his/her residency if they move from state-to-state, but do not have a lease (or ownership) of property? I've moved from WA to CA, then to KY, and most recently to MD -- all this year, and always staying at the residences of friends/relatives. The last property I rented was in WA.

Currently I am on holiday in Thailand.

P.S. The last time I voted was when I lived in FL, back in 1992 (?).

[amibiswas]

A little off-topic, but how does a US-citizen determine his/her residency if they move from state-to-state, but do not have a lease (or ownership) of property? I've moved from WA to CA, then to KY, and most recently to MD -- all this year, and always staying at the residences of friends/relatives. The last property I rented was in WA.

Currently I am on holiday in Thailand.

P.S. The last time I voted was when I lived in FL, back in 1992 (?).

Hi Gumball,

Federal law allows citizens abroad or in the uniformed services to register to vote only in the state where they last resided. If you never lived in the US, you may be able to vote using the address where your American parent(s) last lived.

Feel free to contact me ([email protected]) if you have trouble.

Good luck and good voting!

Ami

[vagabond48]

Hi,

I just got back from a trip to Laos and I was happy to see that my absentee ballot was waiting for me. I got it by registering at the CM US consulate back in June.

I am currently living in CM and my last voting address (address of a friend) was in AZ, but I stayed 2 separate times (3 and 2 months respectively) since moving there in Aug 2006. I don't want to be considered AZ a resident to avoid paying state taxes, so am I limited to voting only in the presidential elections or can I also vote for US congress members (representatives and senators) for that state. I definitely am not planning to vote in the local elections.

Any personal experiences or factual information would be appreciated.

[mizzi39]

that's amibiswasmd at gmail.com

It's free, it's easy, it's the right thing to do

It's the right thing to do? According to who? The Bilderberg group decides who our candidates are going to be, not the people. Politics in America (like most of the world) is a joke sorry to say. Call it a side show. When are our fellow Americans going to wake up and realize who is really running the country. Politicians? Think not. America is run by bankers and bilderberg.

Private banks (the federal reserve) control the economy, and thus the country, not politicians. Blaming a politician for Americas "ills" is scapegoating and voting for one boarders on hypocrisy.

Two crime families looking to control the whole syndicate, but neither party wants anyone disrupting their poker game. That pretty much sums up American politics.

The next time I vote for any politician will be when such politician signs a bill to dissolve The FED and retake control of the economy. Will this solve all problems relating to America? Certainly not, but it is a start. America has not been America since prior to 1913. We have shamed our founding fathers by putting our economy and power in the hands of greedy individuals.

I am no way anti American.I am just trying to be a responsible one.

[Old Man River]

A little off-topic, but how does a US-citizen determine his/her residency if they move from state-to-state, but do not have a lease (or ownership) of property? I've moved from WA to CA, then to KY, and most recently to MD -- all this year, and always staying at the residences of friends/relatives. The last property I rented was in WA.

Currently I am on holiday in Thailand.

P.S. The last time I voted was when I lived in FL, back in 1992 (?).

Hi Gumball,

Federal law allows citizens abroad or in the uniformed services to register to vote only in the state where they last resided. If you never lived in the US, you may be able to vote using the address where your American parent(s) last lived.

Feel free to contact me ([email protected]) if you have trouble.

Good luck and good voting!

Ami

Ami, the wife and I have received our absentee ballots. I did this four years ago, but am now having a senior moment. Can I take the market ballots to the American Services section of the US Embassy to mail to our appropriate state? I did this with the federal form to get the ballot, but can't remember if, now that we have the ballot, we can avail ourselves of their diplomatic pouch to send the ballots in.

Thanks,

[dingdongrb]

I really think the subject line of this post needed edited. It should say something like:

'If You Are American And Want To Vote...........

Save The Headache And Just Kill Yourself Instead'

Edited October 13, 2008 by dingdongrb

[Huey]

I went to the Obama Rally last month at the road house BBQ, signed up there for my absentee ballot, and I just got it in the mail today! I was never so happy to receive something from the govt before

[britmaveric]

Wonder if ACORN can sign us foreigners up too?