AMERICANS OVERSEAS: REGISTER TO VOTE FOR UPCOMING US ELECTIONS!
By Marjorie A. Ames, Consul General of the United States of America
Many long-term residents of the United Kingdom and The Netherlands who are American citizens do not know they are able to vote in U.S. Federal elections from overseas as absentee voters. The U.S. Consulate General in Amsterdam has begun an outreach program to assist Americans in registering to vote, and to provide as much information as possible to make the voting process both transparent and easy.
Generally, all U.S. citizens 18 years or older who are [or will be] residing outside the United States during an election period are eligible to vote absentee in any election for Federal office. This includes primary, run-off, and special elections that occur throughout the year, as well as the Presidential and General Election in November 2008.
To vote in U.S. Elections, American Citizens abroad must register (and request) an absentee ballot from the state in which they hold residence or last resided. If you have never resided in the United States, you may request to register and vote in the last state that your parents resided in before your birth.
The official U.S. Government website for overseas absentee voting assistance is the Federal Voting Assistance Program website at www.fvap.gov. This website contains a wealth of information about voting and elections, and is updated regularly.
For ease of reference, the following is a brief summary below of the steps to follow in order to register to vote and request your ballot. For complete instructions you are encouraged to use the Federal Voting Assistance website and the section on I want to vote! at http://www.fvap.gov./services/iwanttovote.html
1. Download or open the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) http://www.fvap.gov/pubs/onlinefpca.html. 2. Open your state-specific requirements instruction page http://www.fvap.gov./pubs/vag.html#ch3 Fill out the FPCA following the guidelines for your state. 3. Print your form and check the notarization requirements on your state’s instructions and sign and date your form accordingly. 4. A postage paid envelope template, valid if you are using the U.S. postal system, is available at http://www.fvap.gov/pubs/returnenvelope.html. 5. Address your FPCA to the voting official in your county of voting residence as listed at the end of your state instructions. See also State Electronic alternatives to the by-mail process at http://www.fvap.gov./ivas/fvap_state_menu.html. If mailing through the Dutch postal system please remember to place a priority mail stamp on the envelope.
Contact information for local election officials can be found at http://www.fvap.gov./comm/communicating.html. You may also use the toll-free access number to the Voting Information Center [VIC]. The VIC allows you to transfer directly to the office of your elected officials in the U.S. Congress, your state Governor and state Chief Election Official. The toll-free number to call from The Netherlands is 0800-022-8213.
Applications for ballot request and voter registration forms are also available at the United States Consulate General in Amsterdam and may be requested by emailing us at USCitizensServicesAms@state.gov. You can also submit your completed ballot request and voter registration to the Consulate General (U.S. Consulate General, American Citizen Services, Museumplein 19, DJ Amsterdam) for forwarding through the United States mail system. It must be addressed to the local voting jurisdiction office in the United States and not to the Consulate General. See your state specific instructions for addresses of local voting jurisdiction offices at www.fvap.gov
Helpful voting links
• State Electronic Alternatives to the by-mail process http://www.fvap.gov/ivas/fvap_state_menu.html
• Ten things to help ensure your absentee vote is counted http://www.fvap.gov/vao/topten.html
• Frequently asked voting questions http://www.fvap.gov/pubs/faq.html
• Upcoming features of the FVAP website http://www.fvap.gov/pubs/releases/2007/14-2007.html
• Voting by citizens who have never lived in the U.S. http://www.fvap.gov/vao/citnvrinus.html
