Getting In the Vote

Everyone agrees that this year's election is going to have unprecedented turnout.  But what about those who are voting from abroad?  The process for voting from overseas can be complicated and time-consuming, but it doesn't have to be.  Here are some resources that can help you get your voice heard from anywhere in the world:

Overseas Vote Foundation: The OVF is non-partisan nonprofit organization whose goal is to help overseas voters participate in federal elections.  The organization, which is not affiliated with either the U.S. government or U.S. military, offers services on its website that are state-specific including:

• registering to vote
• requesting a ballot 
• offering the federal write-in ballot
• a voter "help desk" with answers to hundreds of FAQs

Federal Voting Assistance Program: A government-run website that offers forms, resources and information for U.S. citizens overseas and their families.  The site includes some instructions and a useful FAQs section.  PCVs should use the "Uniformed Services Members" option when looking for forms and information.

VoteFromAbroad.org: This site helps you apply for your overseas absentee ballot in five steps.  The website is owned and operated by Democrats Abroad.* The website, which is in both in both English and Spanish, guides you through the overseas voting process from start to finish.   

The Office of your Secretary of State: Almost every state (except for Alaska, Hawaii and Utah) has a Secretary of State who is the chief officer of elections.  While their responsibilities vary from state-to-state, nearly all of the secretaries of the states have information about voting and elections on their websites.  Click here for a state-by-state list of Secretary of States' websites and the offices' phone numbers.

Getting your vote in is important from wherever you are.  So make use of any one of these sources and ensure your voice is heard in this year's election.

Voting from inside the States? 
Check out:  Go Vote Absentee: a straightforward, easy-to-use website that allows you to download absentee ballot request forms from any zipcode.  It also offers step-by-step instructions on how to fill out the forms, what to do once you've gotten and filled out your the ballot, and how to get in touch with your town clerk to confirm that your ballot was received.

*Democrats Abroad is an official Democratic Party organization with the goal of spreading the Democratic message to Americans abroad and encouraging them to vote for Democratic candidates.  Attempts to find a similar overseas voting resource with Republican affiliation were unsuccessful.

Comments

[Marina]

If you use this URL you have the option of four entry portals to choose from: OVF classic, Youth Vote Overseas, Military and Lite for low bandwidth users:
http://www.overseasvotefoundation.org