The U.S. Elections: Voting From Abroad
September 16 – 21 is Absentee Voting Week. Election Day, November 5, is less than two months away, and all U.S. citizens abroad, no matter how long they have been abroad, have the right to vote in U.S. elections. If you are living here permanently, indefinitely, temporarily (as a student, for example), or even if you have never lived in the U.S., but are a U.S. citizen, you can vote. If you would like to express your voice with your vote, now is the time to get the process started. The first step of this process is to register to vote and request your ballot. Even if you think that you have already registered in the past, some states periodically purge their inactive voter rolls and many states require that voters living abroad request their ballot every year.
While some people living abroad have developed good relationships with their Local Election Officials (LEO) back in their home voting state, who regularly and reliably send them their voting materials, all voters living abroad benefit by specifically identifying themselves as overseas voters (not simply absentee voters) as there are a number of protections guaranteed by federal law for overseas and military voters. In order to register in this way, you should file a form known as the Federal Post Card Application or FPCA with your LEO. The easiest way to do that is to go to Votefromabroad.org – a non-partisan voting assistance tool, developed by Democrats Abroad, but designed to help ALL U.S. citizens, regardless of their party preferences, to register as a Voter Abroad and to request their ballot in one easy step. This tool is easy to use – simply scroll down to your home state and follow the instructions for that state. Rules, regulations, important dates for each state are also provided. Should you encounter any problems, VFA has a team of dedicated volunteers ready to help. By using this platform, you are automatically identified in your home district as a voter from abroad, not simply as an absentee voter. This distinction is important.
As a voter abroad, your vote is protected in a number of ways thanks to two important pieces of legislation — UOCAVA and the MOVE Act. First, these acts require that your LEO send you your ballot via email, if you so request, 45 days prior to the election (this year, this would be around September 21). A simple absentee ballot does not necessarily ensure this for you. As some states still require a snail mail return of your voted ballot, 45 days gives you much more time to get that ballot back to be counted. Second, as an overseas voter, some states will extend the deadline to receive a ballot by mail, understanding the delays inherent in snail mail. Some states, on the other hand, will also allow you to return your ballot via email or by using an online tool or via fax as well. And, finally, a voter from abroad is also given the possibility of a backup ballot, known as a FWAB (Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot), in case your original ballot does not arrive in time.
September 21 is upon us, but remember, even if you miss that deadline, it is not too late – you can still register and request after that date, but it is best to do so as soon as possible. Please, then, take the time now to register and request your ballot by going to www.votefromabroad.org. If you are a student, you can use students.votefromabroad.org. Alternatively, Vote from Abroad will be having several in-person voter assistance events in Florence, to help you register and request your ballot, and then to figure out how best to get your ballot back to be counted. We will be at:
- Shake Café, Via Cavour 67/69r, 3:30-5:30 pm, every Tuesday until Election Day
- Le Murate Caffe Letterario, 6-8 pm, every Thursday until Election Day
- Mama’s Bakery, Via della Chiesa 34r, 10 am-12 noon, Thursday, September 19 and Wednesday, October 9.
In addition, voter assistance is available via zoom events, also through www.votefromabroad.org.
If you have any questions, you can contact us at votefromabroad.italy.central@gmail.com.
VoteFromAbroad.org
(Leyani Redditi)
(*) In case you are interested, the pieces of legislation that protect us as Overseas Voters are:
