JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska -- The Combined Armed Forces Voter’s Week event is scheduled to place between June 27 and July 3 at the Base Exchange on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska.
The week ensures service members and families overseas are able to exercise their right to vote.
“The event provides all service members and families the absentee ballots needed to participate in the upcoming election,” said Jim Hargis, Military and Family Readiness Center work-life specialist. “The week is aimed at having all citizens vote in support of the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act.”
According to the Federal Voting Assistance Program, the UOCAVA requires states and territories to allow certain groups to register and vote absentee in elections for federal offices.
Personnel can register to vote and request an absentee ballot through the Federal Post Card Application. The FPCA can also be used to submit a change of address.
The Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot can be used as a back-up to the FPCA if the absentee ballot has been requested but not yet received.
Registering to vote or requesting an absentee ballot during Combined Armed Forces Voters Week allows enough time for local election officials to process the request, send the materials to voters and get the completed ballots back by the various state or territory deadlines.
“In the past, there were problems with overseas members receiving ballots in time to vote,” Hargis said. “The week long event is held to ensure members receive the ballots, and receive them in a timely manner.”
With the value in voting, there are several parts of the absentee ballot that members and families need to be aware of.
“While filling out the absentee ballot, it’s important for people to include the address where they lived at the time of the ballot (voting residence address), and also include the address where they live now (where to send voting materials),” Hargis said.
Voters who fall under the UOCAVA include overseas service members and families, and citizens residing outside the United States.
“The goal for the week is to support all members and to have them fill out the FPCA, so they can receive the absentee ballot,” Hargis said. “No matter where people are, it’s important for them to have the opportunity to vote.”
To request a FPCA or FWAB, visit https://www.fvap.gov/ . Personnel can also obtain a copy at the log cabin at 8535 Wewak Drive, JBER, AK.
For questions or concerns, contact the Military Family and Readiness Center at 552-8683.