Army Program Helps with Absentee Voting [contact your soldiers!}

Military.com ^ | 02-05-04 | Andrea Takash

[blu]

For some reason, I'm suddenly very concerned about the military vote issue. They fight for us, they ought to be assured that their votes count! Please forward this to all your servicepeople. I know, some of them may be kinda busy right now (how's the weather over there, Mr. Sadr? Got enough metal rain?), but maybe someone in their unit can take care of it.

Army Program Helps with Absentee Voting By Andrea Takash Army News Service February 5, 2004

WASHINGTON -- Americans across the country are now voting for president in state primaries, but most Soldiers can't make it to the polls, said Jim Davis, the Army's voting action officer.

The Army's Voting Assistance Program aims to ensure that Soldiers, their families and DoD civilians overseas can exercise their right to vote, Davis said.

Absentee ballots can be applied for by filling out the federal postcard application, standard form 76, which can be found at the Federal Voting Assistance Program's Web site, Davis said.

"Not only does this register them for an absentee ballot, but it also registers them to vote in federal, state and local elections," he said. "Everything is taken care of in one step."

"I recommend that Soldiers send in the federal post card application every year because they might have had an address change since the last election," he said.

The Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act requires states to allow absent military voters and overseas American citizens to use absentee ballots in elections for federal office.

"The states have extended this right to state and local elections also," Davis said.

Typically absentee ballots are mailed out to citizens 30 to 45 days before an election. If Soldiers, families or civilians sent in their request for an absentee ballot in sufficient time and didn't receive their ballot, they can fill out form 186, the federal write-in application, which allows them to write their votes without a ballot. Voting assistance officers at each unit have copies of form 186, Davis said.

"The federal write-in application is primarily for federal elections; however, some states accept it," he said.

Most states require the absentee ballot by close of business on the day of the election. However, there are some exceptions to that rule.

Absentee ballots for Louisiana must be in by midnight before the election. In New York, absentee ballots need to be postmarked the day before the election. North Carolina requires the ballots to be in by 5 p.m. the day before the election.

To make sure the state election official received the absentee ballot, Davis suggests calling the state election office.

Davis also said that absentee votes are counted just like regular votes. "There is no difference," he said.

He advises people to educate themselves on the issues before voting. "If necessary, do research before you vote. Don't go in blindly," he said.

Davis stressed the importance of understanding the laws on residency before registering to vote in a particular state.

"Your decision on which state to register in can affect your pay," he said.

"You can only have one legal residence at a time; however, you may change residency each time you are transferred," Davis said. For specific questions on residency, he recommends visiting the Staff Judge Advocate office.

The Army requires every unit to have a voting assistance officer, he said. The voting assistance officers get training at Federal Voting Assistance Program workshops. "The training they receive at these workshops are critical for their ability to do their job," he said.

Voting assistance officers are there to answer questions and provide resources to Soldiers, their families and DoD civilians on voting in federal, state and local elections.

Davis said the Army is non-partisan. "Our real goal is to inform people on how to vote, who to go see and make them aware," he said.

It is important that every American citizen of voting age votes, according to Davis. "Voting is how you influence who is in charge of your quality of life. It is your entitlement as an American citizen," he said.

With the presidential primary elections in full swing, Davis said it is just as important to vote in primaries. "By voting in the primary, you can help the candidate that you want to see in the general election," he said.

A list of the state's presidential primary election dates is listed below.

For more information on federal and state voting policies, go to the Federal Voting Assistance Program's Web site at http://www.fvap.gov/.

[KiloLima]

Thank you, blu. I contacted all the soldiers, commanders and soldier supporters that I could yesterday. Received a grateful response from Bosnia . . .

[Right_Handed_Writer]

I'm a brand new Military Dad, my son is in week #1 of Basic at Lackland AFB. I am printing this form and making copies and sending it his way. Here is the link directly to the "Form 76":

http://www.fvap.gov/pubs/onlinefpca.pdf

[JulieRNR21]

BRAVO BUMP......I am concerned also.

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

If you are a servicemember stationed in CONUS or overseas, you can register to vote absentee.

The UOCAVA (Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act)
requires that the states and territories allow certain U.S. citizens, as defined below,
to register and vote absentee in elections for Federal office.
These groups include:

Members of the Uniformed Services (including Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard)

Merchant Marines

Eligible family members of the above

Commissioned Corps of the Public Health Service,
and Commissioned Corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

U.S. citizens employed by the Federal Government residing outside the U.S.,
and All other private U.S. citizens residing outside the U.S.

If you are eligible to register under UOCAVA, CLICK HERE and follow the instructions.

For state-by-state voting deadlines and calendar CLICK HERE

General Election Date: Tuesday, November 2, 2004

IMPORTANT DATA
Military Voting for 2004
YOUR VOTE will count!

Military Voter Registration Info

Just Click on a flag to Visit that Branch of Service Voting Info

Army	Navy	Air Force	Marines	Coast Guard

Originally posted by MoJo2001 and The Sailor

*IMPORTANT MILITARY VOTE INFORMATION*

 

Having gone through the process of ensuring that The Sailor can vote, I found out that there is another easy way to ensure that our military can receive their ballots. If you are stressing out trying to figure out how to get an application, you can click on the Sample to find out how to do it.

You will need to open up the ballot with Adobe Acrobat Reader. If you don't know how to open up .pdf files, don't worry. You can easily visit their site to get a free installation of Adobe's Acrobat reader.


Click the above link to get Adobe Reader


We must all work together to ensure that our Troops have the right to vote. This is the least we can do for them. If you know anyone overseas or stationed away from their "home of records", please send them this link. It is important.

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

Tell you son that I said

"Thank You for your service to our country."

[E.G.C.]

BTTT!!!!!!!

[blu]

Woo hoo! This is the first post I've started, and you bring your big guns to the party! Thanks!!!

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

A VERY GOOD 1st post indeed.

It's an important issue.

Thank You

[ALOHA RONNIE]

.

For...

..'WE WERE SOLDIERS ONCE and YOUNG'..

...fighting for the Right of Others to Freely Vote.


(Then)
http://www.lzxray.com/guyer_set1 (Photos)
(Now)
http://www.lzxray.com/guyer_collection.htm (Photos)

Signed:.."ALOHA RONNIE" Guyer
Veteran-"WE WERE SOLDIERS" Battle of IA DRANG- November 1965
Veteran-"Count the Military Votes in Florida" Demonstrations-November 2000

.

[armymarinemom]

Get out the Military Vote Ping!!!!

[4CJ]

They fight for us, they ought to be assured that their votes count!

The military in my neighborhood are painfuly aware of the situation. Several that I have talked with that voted absentee will never know that their vote was counted in 2000. Kudos to you.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Bump!

Federal Voting Assistance Program: 

8http://www.fvap.gov/

8Defense Department Special Briefing on Federal Voting Assistance Program

 

8New procedures will ensure absentee ballots count  - Air Force Link  | 8/06/04 | Tech. Sgt. Patrick Murphy

8DoD Pushes Absentee Ballot Reforms

Air Force:

8Airmen Votes

8Wherever you are, your vote counts  - Gen. Robert H. "Doc" Foglesong, U.S. Air Forces in Europe commander

 

USMC:

 

8USMC Voting Home Page

 

Army:

 

8Leadership backs absentee voter registration - Army leaders tape ads for

 

8Army Voting Assistance Program that will air on the Pentagon Channel, American Forces networks overseas and local command channels beginning the week of Aug. 9.

 

8Postal initiative to speed absentee ballots to Soldiers

8HRC sends largest AKO e-mail to date

8Counsel outlines political limits for Army personnel

8Army program helps with absentee voting.

 

Navy:

 

8SECNAV Reminds Sailors to Vote - Secretary of the Navy Gordon R. England

 

8Stars and Stripes Election/Voting Guide
   (NNS) -- Stars and Stripes will publish a Voting Guide Aug. 17, as a supplement to the newspaper.

[Mudboy Slim]

BTTT...we need as many miliatry votes as we can muster...MUD

[KiloLima]

The problem with the fvap home page is that they state 1393 days until the 2004 general election. According to me, it is now 84 days. I e-mailed them.

[KiloLima]

Thank you for having a son who serves, and thank you for the form. I have printed it out also. I guess we are the unofficial "monitors" of the military vote, eh? Haha. (Not so funny considering what happened last time . . . )

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Thank you, KiloLima.

[Former Military Chick]

Thanks for the notice. I will also try and do my part to get the military folks and dependents the opportunity to vote.

[Toespi]

Tonight, Fox said that after the convention, a poll showed that Kerry was 1 point ahead of Bush with the military vote.

[blu]

Hey, I don't care if they vote for Nader, just as long as their votes are counted! (Well, of course I wish they'd vote for the guy who has the job now, but that's not the point.)