Your right, your duty

  • Published
ELMENDORF AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska --  With the 2008 general elections fast approaching, the Pacific Air Forces leadership is encouraging all eligible members to make a difference and exercise their right to vote. Command and base voting officials are available to answer questions and theater postal managers from all service branches will be placing special emphasis on mailing to ensure timely ballot delivery. PACAF Air Postal Squadron, Gabe Telles, Chief of Postal Operations, had the following to say about postmarking ballots:

"A postmark is a postal marking made on a piece of mail indicating the date and time that the item was delivered into the care of the postal service. Postmarks are used to determine if voting materials have been mailed by state deadlines. Due to varying mail pick up times, the day you 'mail' your election ballot may not be the day the postal facility postmarks it. Check the collection box schedule posted on each drop box, before you deposit your ballot if you mail on state deadlines. Or simply ask a mail clerk at your local post office to hand stamp the election material so that a date is clearly visible. Our goal in supporting federal voting this year is simple--100 percent on-time postmarking and delivery of all Federal balloting material!"

The following information outlines how to apply for an absentee ballot on-line, on-time to ensure that "Your Vote Counts!"

1. First, register to vote by going to this website: http://www.fvap.gov/ 

2. Select the appropriate "Get Started" button for your status (military, civilian, etc.) 

3. The next screen asks you, "What Would You Like to Do?" in bold red letters--select the option for: "Register to Vote and/or Request an Absentee Ballot" 

4. This takes you to a screen that asks you to select your state--just click on your state 

5. Then you'll get to the screen with "Request Registration/Absentee Ballot." A red arrow with "Step 1" will ask you to "Fill out the Voter Registration/Absentee Ballot Request" 

6. Just below that "Step 1" red arrow, you'll find a PDF file entitled, "Open Voter Registration/Absentee Ballot Request" click on that area and SF Form 76a, "Registration and absentee ballot request - federal post card application (FPCA) will open up and you can fill this in on your screen 

7. Going back to the website with the "Step 1" red arrow, you'll see under the area "What Do I Fill in?" in bold red letters--that you may not need to fill out this entire form, only the information your state requires below the area "Only the following blocks are required:" 

8. Once you've filled out the form, proceed to red arrow with "Step 2 Submission Options." To mail your form, click on the area "Open Election Official Address List" to get the mailing address for your county where you need to send your form. 

9. If you are able to print envelopes, there is postage paid envelope you can use to send in your form, just click on the area, "Open Postage-Paid Envelop Template." 

10. Your state may also allow you to fax in your form--if so, you'll see the fax numbers and even fax cover sheet you can use--just click on the area "Open Fax Coversheet" 

11. Once you've submitted your Registration and Absentee Ballot Request form, you can take the follow-up actions under the red arrow with "Step 3 Follow-up" 

12. When you receive your absentee ballot in the mail, make sure to open it right away, make your voting selections, and get your absentee ballot to your post office right away--the same day, if possible to make sure your ballot makes your state "ballot return deadline." 

13. If you've taken all the above steps and still don't receive your absentee ballot two weeks prior to the election--by Oct. 21, take the following actions: 

a. Go to this website: http://www.fvap.gov/ 

b. Select appropriate "Get Started" button for your status (military, civilian, etc.) 

c. The next screen asks you, "What Would You Like to Do?" in bold red letters--select the option for: "Complete a Back-up Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot" 

d. This takes you to a screen that asks you to select your state--just click on your state
 
e. Then you'll get to the screen with "Complete Back-up Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot"
f. A red arrow with "Step 1" will ask you to "Fill out the Voter's Declaration/Affirmation and Ballot" 

g. Just below that "Step 1" red arrow, you'll find a PDF file entitled, "Open Back-up Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot" click on that area and Standard Form 186A, "Federal write-in absentee ballot instructions" will open up and you can fill this in on your screen.
 
h. Going back to the website with the "Step 1" red arrow, you'll see under the area "What Do I Fill in?" in bold red letters--that you may not need to fill out this entire form, only the information your state requires below the area "Only the following blocks of the Voter's Declaration/Affirmation are required:" 

i. Follow the instructions of the red arrows for Step 2, 3 and 4 for envelope instructions, submission options, and follow-up 

Contact your Unit Voting Assistance Officer for any help and to obtain voting materials.