Submit required forms early to ensure vote is counted

  • Published
  • By 1st Lt. Lisa Spilinek
  • 66th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
HANSCOM AFB, Mass. --  The Nov. 4, 2008 general election is less than one year away and state presidential primary elections are set to begin next month.

The clock is ticking for would-be voters to ensure they are registered to vote.

While state registration deadlines vary, residents of those states with early primary elections should register as soon as possible to ensure they are eligible to vote in their state's primary election as well as the general election, said Capt. Karl Cowart, the Installation voting officer at Hanscom.

Those voting absentee in their state's primary election or in the general election should also check state deadlines and procedures to ensure they are able to cast valid votes in the upcoming elections.

Help is available to uniformed servicemembers and U.S. citizens living overseas who plan to vote absentee through the comprehensive Federal Voting Assistance Program Web site, www.fvap.gov.  

The site lists state-specific voter registration deadlines and includes downloadable forms for registration and absentee voting at www.fvap.gov/links/statelinks.html. With the early primary elections just around the corner, adhering to these deadlines is imperative to ensure voting eligibility.

Caucus and primary elections scheduled during January include: the Iowa Caucuses on Jan. 3; the New Hampshire Primaries on Jan. 8; the Michigan Primaries on Jan. 15; the Nevada Caucuses on Jan. 19; the South Carolina Republican Primary on Jan. 19 and the South Carolina Democrat Primary on Jan. 26; and the Florida Primaries on Jan. 29.

"Voting is a right of every American citizen, yet the act of voting sometimes requires actions on the part of the voter well in advance of the actual election," Captain Cowart said. "Military members who live outside of their state of residence should pay particular attention to their state's rules on voting to ensure they are able to exercise their Constitutional right to vote along with the rest of America's citizens on Election Day."

The Federal Voting Assistance Program Web site lists the following ten actions potential voters should take to ensure their absentee votes are counted:

1. Start by contacting your unit or organization Voting Assistance Officer for help in absentee registration and voting. 

2. Visit the Federal Voting Assistance Program's Web site for information on the absentee registration and voting process. 

3. Ensure that you have applied for your absentee ballot using the hard copy or online versions of the Federal Post Card Application. 

4. Make sure your local election official has your current mailing address.
5. Sign and date all election materials. 

6. Fulfill your state's witness or notary requirements (if required). 

7. Ensure that your ballot or Federal Post Card Application is postmarked. 

8. Register to vote and request your ballot by September 2008. 

9. Vote by mailing your ballot for the general election no later than Oct. 15, 2008. 

10. Use the Federal Write In Absentee Ballot if you are overseas and your state absentee ballot does not arrive in time to be mailed back by the state's deadline.