Get out the Vet

OVERSEAS MILITARY:

YOU STILL HAVE TIME TO REGISTER AND VOTE ABSENTEE BY 6 NOVEMBER 2012!

Here’s how:

1.       If you need to REGISTER/REQUEST BALLOT you can do both online at the same time at www.FVAP.gov or www.overseasvotefoundation.org. State registration deadlines vary from early October all the way up to Election Day—see the chart below, Uniform Service Registration Deadline column.

2.       If you just need to REQUEST BALLOT you can do it online at www.FVAP.gov or www.overseasvotefoundation.org. State deadlines vary from late October all the way up to election—see the chart below, Ballot Request Deadline column.

3.       If your BALLOT does not come on time you can still VOTE online at www.FVAP.gov, www.overseasvotefoundation.org, or www.heroesvote.org/fwab! Access the Federal Back-up Write-in Ballot (FWAB), fill in your vote. Most states accept it by e-mail or fax or by mail postmarked anytime up to Election Day. Most states require that you have already registered and requested a ballot, but 19 states/territories (AK, AZ, AR, CO, DE, DC, GA, IA, ME, MD, MT, NE, NC, NV, OR, SC, SD, UT, or WA) only require that you send in the FWAB by Election Day. By Federal Law, this ballot is valid in all states.

About the websites:

www.FVAP.gov is the official DoD Federal Voter Assistance Program website. It has easy access to individual state and territory procedures for registering—just click on “Get Started” for military.

Click on your state:

• NOT REQUESTED A BALLOT? Some states have waved registration and will allow you just to get your ballot, others require you to request your ballot first and then immediately get your ballot on line—just follow the instructions.

• NOT GOTTEN YOUR BALLOT? Go to the state, some have online ballots but, if not, you can  fill in the Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot online.

• Many states allow ballots to be e-mailed or faxed, some require mail—just do it by Tuesday, 6 November!

• If you want to use the Federal Back-up Write-in Ballot (FWAB) directly, a fillable .pdf is at www.fvap.gov/reference/forms.html.

www.overseasvotefoundation.org is the website of the Overseas Vote Foundation, a non-partisan organization that has assisted military and other overseas voters for many years. Some may prefer this site to the official one—it has easy to use interactive forms and clear, detailed instructions. There are radio buttons to request ballots or to vote the FWAB on the home page.

www.heroesvote.org is a project of the non-partisan advocacy group the Military Voter Protection Project. Like the website described above it has interactive forms to register and request absentee ballots. They have now launched a special page, www.heroesvote.org/fwab, to request and vote the FWAB.

No matter your political preference, I urge you to exercise your right and responsibility to vote Tuesday 6 November. Please forward this e-mail to your fellow troops.

2012 General Election Dates and Deadlines Chart