Absentee Ballots For U.s. Elections

[Mekong Bob]

Can U.S. citizens in Chiang Mai obtain absentee ballots at the Chiang Mai Consulate?

Can completed ballots be submitted to consulate for forwarding to local U.S. boards of elections, or do these need to be mailed from Thai post office by each voter?

[BB1955]

As best as I know you can not get a ballot from the embassy you must get it from the election office where you are registered to vote . It can be emailed to you by the election office . After you fill out your ballot you can take it to the embassy and it will be placed in their military mail . Takes about two weeks to get to your voting office . No stamp needed . Can only be dropped off Im thinking it was Wed between 11 and 2 . I may be wrong on that but is is posted on the consulate website .....

[NancyL]

I have no idea if TV is going to permit me to copy the entire text of an email many American citizens received yesterday from the consulate. If you go on-line and register with them, you can receive similar messages in the future. Here goes:

Message for U.S. Citizens Completing and Returning Absentee Ballots

Absentee ballots already delivered to overseas voters. Every U.S. citizen who requested an absentee ballot and selected the fax or email delivery option should have it by now. Please vote and take steps to return your voted ballot promptly so your vote will count. See instructions below.

Returning your ballot by mail. Place your voted ballot in a U.S. postage-paid envelope containing the address of your local election officials. Drop it off at the Consulate General in Chiang Mai, and we’ll send it back home for you without the need to pay international postage. If you can’t visit the Consulate General in person, ask a friend or colleague drop it off for you. If it’s easier for you to use Thailand’s postal system, be sure to affix sufficient international postage, and allow sufficient time for international mail delivery. If time is tight, you may want to use a private courier service (e.g., FedEx, UPS, or DHL) to meet your state's ballot receipt deadline.

Americans may come to the Consular Section of the Consulate General during American Citizen Service days which are Tuesday and Thursday, during 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Please present your U.S. passport and go to window one.

Returning your ballot by email, fax, or upload. Some states allow these options, but may also require you to still mail in the signed paper ballot. Learn more at the Federal Voting Assistance Program's website at www.FVAP.gov.

Haven’t received your ballot yet? Use the emergency write-in ballot. U.S. citizens who requested an absentee ballot but haven’t received it should go to www.FVAP.gov to complete a Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot. Follow the above guidance for returning your ballot. If you later receive your regular absentee ballot, complete it and return it immediately. Local election officials will count just one ballot per voter, and will use the regular ballot if received by your state’s ballot receipt deadline.

Forgot to register or request an absentee ballot? Act immediately! There are three options.

Option #1: Register and request a ballot today using the federal post card application at www.FVAP.gov. Select the electronic ballot delivery option, include your email address (and fax number) and send it to local election officials in your state. Almost every state lets you submit it by email or fax. Once your application is processed they will send you your ballot via fax or email depending on your state. Vote as soon as you receive the blank ballot. Registration deadlines vary and some are as early as October 7, so check your state’s requirements carefully.

Option#2: Follow the instructions in Option #1, but also complete and send in a Federal Write-in Ballot at the same time to make sure your vote is counted. This option may be the best one for first-time voters if your state requires you to submit your Federal Post Card Application by mail. Vote and submit your regular absentee ballot if/when it arrives. Local election officials will count just one ballot per voter, and will use the regular ballot if it's received by the ballot receipt deadline.

Option #3: Voters from the following states can use the Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot as a combined voter registration form, absentee ballot request, and absentee ballot: Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, District of Columbia, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia, and Washington. (NOTE: This form must reach your local election officials by your state's absentee ballot request deadline or voter registration deadline, whichever is first.)

Returning your Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot by mail. Follow the guidance above for returning your ballot by mail.

Returning your Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot by email or fax. The following states allow voters to email or fax their signed, voted Federal Write-in Absentee Ballots back to local election officials: Arizona, California (fax only), Colorado, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Indiana, Kansas, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Utah, Washington, and West Virginia. (NOTE: see instructions at www.FVAP.gov for faxing or emailing your voted ballot.)

Need help? You can get in-person assistance from the Consulate General Voting Assistance staff at the following event(s):

10/05/2012 13:30 to 14:30 Grace International School, Hang Dong, Chiang Mai

10/19/2012 17:00 to 18:30 Rimping Supermarket, Chiang Mai, Nim City Daily Branch (near Central Robinson)

Have Questions? Please contact Voting Assistance Officer at 66-53-107765, or at [email protected].

Confirm your registration and ballot delivery online. Learn more at the Federal Voting Assistance Program's (FVAP) website at www.FVAP.gov.

[hml367]

Check the US embassy web site, Chiang Mai Consulate web site, or the State Departmene web site and the information is easy to find. There are many web sites with the information.

You can also visit the Consulate and get the information, which would take longer than checking the web sites.

http://chiangmai.usconsulate.gov/service/voting-assistance.html

MSPain

[NancyL]

Despite what ACS said in their email, Hubby and I still haven't received our ballots. We did receive an email from our former township clerk that she mailed them on Sept 21, so it hasn't been 10 days yet. Normally, it takes 10-12 days to receive mail from them in the past.

Also, ACS will have a "ballot box" at the Expats Club meeting on October 27. The meeting is at River Market, not Shangri La hotel this month.

[hml367]

I received mine by email and returned it already.

MSPain

[khwaibah]

I have received my ballot (email) and returned it by regular mail to the USA. My voting district has informed me that they have received it.

http://travel.state.gov/travel/living/overseas_voting/overseas_voting_4754.html

[Rama]

you can register over the internet at www.votefromabroad.org - your ballot will then be mailed to you.

[TongueThaied]

I applaud all you voters! I have voted in every election since I was 19. I'm now 61. Now with the way things are, I'm having a difficult time getting motivated. Is there really a difference between Democrats and Republicans, or is all the sniping between them just a show to give the appearance of choice? Living here for the rest of my life, do I even have a dog in the fight?