Voting information for Americans overseas

I just had a large email sent to me with information for Americans voting from overseas. I have posted it in the continuation.

BTW 1: I know y’all miss my posts here (despite whatever some of y’all may write). I will get back to more regular posting once the US election stops taking all my discretionary time and brain cell usage.

BTW 2: I bring my voter registration materials with me to Seoul every Sunday (except for October 12, when I will be out of the country on a business trip). Email me at andyinrok@lycos.com if you would like me to help you request an absentee ballot (it is getting a little late for registering in most states). We can meet somewhere in Itaewon circa 2:00.

BTW 3: There will be a VP debate watching party at the VFW Canteen near Yongsan Garrison. As a bonus, two lucky contestants will get to sign my ballot return envelope as witnesses.

U.S. State Department, U.S. Embassy Seoul Consular Section, American Citizen Services (ACS) Bulletin

The U.S. Embassy is transmitting the following voting information bulletin via its warden system as a public service to U.S. citizens in the Republic of Korea. Please feel free to disseminate this message to U.S. citizens in your organizations or to other Americans you know.

1. Many States Close Voter Registration on October 6, 2008
2. Receiving Your Ballot
3. Questions? Ask the Embassy
4. Coverage of the 2008 Presidential Debates Available to Citizens Abroad
5. State Ballot Return Deadlines
6. Missouri to Allow Alternatives to Certain Citizens
7. Pennsylvania Now Allowing More Alternatives to the By-Mail Process

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Additional voting information is available on the Embassy’s website at: http://seoul.usembassy.gov/voting.html
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1. Many States Close Voter Registration on October 6, 2008
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U.S. citizens should register to vote NOW for the November 4, 2008, Presidential and general elections. Many states close voter registration on October 6, 2008. Be sure to allow sufficient time for your voting registration forms to reach the U.S. by mail.

Voters who have not yet registered to vote should complete a Federal Postcard Application (FPCA) on the Federal Voting Assistance Program’s website at www.fvap.gov. Voters may also pick up a hard copy of the FPCA from the U.S. Embassy.

You should complete a new Federal Postcard Application if you have moved or changed your name since the last time you voted.

FPCAs may be mailed to your local voting officials in the U.S. through regular international mail or from any U.S. Embassy or Consulate. Some states also accept FPCAs by fax or e-mail.

For more information, review our webpage about absentee voting at: http://seoul.usembassy.gov/voting.html

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2. Receiving Your Ballot
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Your local voting officials in the U.S. should mail your absentee ballot 30 to 45 days before the November 4 general election to your overseas address. Return your voted ballot as early as possible. Be aware of your state’s ballot receipt deadline, as well as any postmarking requirements.

Emergency Ballots

The Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB) serves as an emergency ballot for voters who registered in time but did not receive an official ballot from local election officials. You can access the FWAB at www.fvap.gov.

Free Shipping!

This year the Overseas Vote Foundation and FedEx have partnered to offer free shipping of absentee ballots from South Korea. Details of the program are available at:
https://www.overseasvotefoundation.org/overseas/ExpressYourVote.htm.

Postmarks: If the voter requests, the American Citizen Services unit will place a seal on all voting materials that will be sent via FedEx as evidence of the overseas location from which the ballot was mailed. We cannot place a date stamp on materials that are being shipped FedEx, because we cannot attest to the date that the voter is submitting the ballot to FedEx. Participating states will use the FedEx mailer and voter’s attestation as evidence of the date the ballot was sent.

Mailing Addresses: Ballots sent by FedEx should be addressed directly to local voting officials.
Important: FedEx cannot deliver to a post office box. If the mailing address for your local election official in the Voting Assistance Guide is a P.O. Box, you should contact the local election office for a street mailing address. Local elections officials are listed by state and county at:

http://www.fvap.gov/shortcuts/find-where-2-send-ballot-request/index.html

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3. Questions? Ask the Embassy
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Voting Assistance Officers at U.S. Embassy Seoul are available to answer questions about absentee voting. To contact a Voting Assistance Officer, call 02-397-4114 or send an e-mail to VOTESEOUL@state.gov.

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4. Coverage of 2008 Presidential Debates Available to Citizens Abroad
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The Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) has joined with the Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD) to make the 2008 election debates available to Americans abroad. DebateWatch is the CPD’s nonpartisan, international program that brings U.S. citizens together to watch and discuss this fall’s Presidential and Vice Presidential debates.

All across the world, citizens will meet in schools, libraries, theaters, hotels, civic auditoriums, homes, and elsewhere to watch the debates on television or the Internet, or listen to them on the radio. At the end of each debate and before commentary begins, the facilitator will turn off the broadcast and lead participants in a discussion about the debate, the candidates, and the upcoming election.

After finishing their discussion, participants may log on to the CPD’s website, www.debates.org to fill out a voluntary survey and provide feedback to the CPD. If you would like to learn more about DebateWatch or register to organize one of these meetings, please see www.debates.orgor email debatewatch@debates.org.

Presidential debates are a permanent part of every Presidential general election. Debates provide a means for viewers and listeners to become informed about the candidates’ positions on the issues. The CPD’s primary purpose is to sponsor and produce debates for the United States Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates and to undertake research and educational activities relating to the debates. The nonprofit, nonpartisan organization has sponsored all Presidential debates since 1988.

For the 2008 general election, CPD teamed up with MySpace to create a new website, www.MyDebates.org. The website will try to enhance the educational value of the debates while engaging new audiences. The CPD believes that “the Internet can be used to personalize the debates in a way that allows for in-depth examination by individual citizens and joint discussion with others.” The new website will include tools for citizens to make scorecards of important issues and help track the issues throughout the debates.

Voters can submit questions for possible inclusion in the town meeting debate via www.MyDebates.org. This new venture plans to offer unprecedented access and flexibility in following these debates through forums that discuss numerous topics.

The schedules for this fall’s debates are as follows (information current as of September 19, 2008):
First Presidential Debate: Friday, September 26, 2008
Vice-Presidential Debate: Thursday, October 2, 2008
Second Presidential Debate: Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Third Presidential Debate: Wednesday, October 15, 2008

All debates will begin at 9:00 p.m. E.T. and will be carried by international media outlets. The debates will have a single moderator and last for 90 minutes.
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5. State Ballot Return Deadlines
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Below is a list of General Election Deadlines for Overseas Citizens and Military stationed in the U.S. and abroad. States appearing twice on the list are indicated with an asterisk. Please also be aware of states with postmark deadlines. (COP = Close of Polls)

November 3:

• Mississippi*, Overseas Citizens and Stateside Military, 5pm
• North Carolina, 5pm

November 4:

• Alabama, 12pm
• American Samoa, 1:30pm
• Arizona, 7pm
• Colorado, 7pm
• Connecticut, COP
• Delaware, 8pm
• Florida*, Stateside Military, 7pm
• Guam, 8pm
• Hawaii, COP
• Idaho, 8pm
• Indiana, COP
• Kentucky, COP
• Louisiana
• Maine, 8pm
• Massachusetts*, Stateside Military, 8pm
• Michigan, 8pm
• Minnesota, COP
• Mississippi*, Overseas Military, 7pm
• Missouri, 7pm
• Montana, 8pm
• Nebraska, COP
• Nevada, 7pm
• New Hampshire, 5pm
• New Jersey, COP
• New Mexico, COP
• Ohio*, Stateside Military, COP
• Oklahoma, 7pm
• Puerto Rico, 3pm
• Rhode Island, 9pm
• South Carolina, COP
• South Dakota, COP
• Tennessee, COP
• Texas*, Stateside Military, COP
• Virginia, 7pm
• West Virginia
• Wisconsin*, Overseas Citizens, COP
• Wyoming, COP

November 7:

• Georgia, postmarked by Nov. 4
• North Dakota

November 10:

• Iowa, 12pm, postmarked by Nov. 3
• Texas*, Overseas Citizens and Stateside Military, in delivery by Nov. 4

November 11:

• New York*, Overseas Citizens, postmarked by Nov. 3 Pennsylvania, postmarked by Nov. 3

November 14:

• Alaska*, Stateside Military
• Arkansas, 5pm
• District of Columbia
• Florida*, Overseas Citizens and Overseas Military, 7pm
• Ohio*, Overseas Citizens and Overseas Military
• Virgin Islands
• Wisconsin*, Military, 5pm, postmarked by Nov. 4
• Massachusetts*, Overseas Citizens and Overseas Military, postmarked Nov. 4

November 17:

• New York*, Military, postmarked by Nov. 3

November 18:

• Illinois, postmarked by Nov. 3
• Utah, 12pm, postmarked by Nov. 3

November 19:

• Alaska*, Overseas Citizens and Overseas Military

November 25:

• Washington, oath signed/dated by Nov. 4

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6. Missouri to Allow Alternatives to Certain Citizens
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The Missouri Secretary of State has declared that voters in Federal service who are eligible to receive hostile fire or imminent danger pay, or who are located in a combat zone as designated by the IRS (http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=108331,00.html) may return their voted ballots by fax or email.
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;

b. Active members of the merchant marine of the United States and their spouses and dependents;

c. 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 citizens to receive their blank absentee ballots by fax or email. Absentee ballots will be mailed to voters. For information on your precinct, candidates, and elections, visit the Missouri Secretary of State website at http://www.sos.mo.gov/.

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7. Pennsylvania Now Allowing More Alternatives to the By-Mail Process
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The Pennsylvania Secretary of State has declared that all UOCAVA voters who are eligible to receive hostile fire or imminent danger pay, or who are located in a combat zone as designated by the IRS
(http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=108331,00.html) may receive their blank ballots by fax. This declaration will apply to the November 4, 2008 general election.

If you receive the blank ballot by fax, you may use the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB) return envelope and security envelope on the FVAP’s website (www.fvap.gov) to return your ballot in secret so it will be counted. Pennsylvania law does not allow you to return the voted ballot by fax.

Pennsylvania state policy also allows UOCAVA citizens to return the voted ballot by first class mail, express mail, or overnight mail. Insert the voted ballot into the inner envelope provided or into the security envelope if you are using the FWAB. Then insert the inner envelope or security envelope into the outer envelope or return envelope (if you are using the FWAB). If using express or overnight mail, insert the outer or return envelope into the overnight mail package and return it to your county board of elections.

For information on your precinct, candidates, and elections, visit the Pennsylvania Secretary of State website at http://www.votespa.com/.

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