Current Study Abroad Students
Absentee Voting
Greetings Study Abroad Students:
Some of you are already off on your adventures and others will be leaving shortly. I will be sending you periodic updates, some informational and some just for fun.
We want to make sure that you are able to vote in the upcoming Presidential and Congressional elections. Because you will be living outside the United States, there are a few steps you must take to ensure that you receive an absentee ballot. If you are an American living overseas, even temporarily, there is a federal form called the Federal Postcard Application (FPCA) that you should use to request your absentee ballot. This process is different from that used by Americans who are in the United States on election day, but temporarily in a different state. You will find the FPCA attached.
This letter summarizes the rules and explains the steps that you must take to register to vote and to request your absentee ballot. Americans living abroad can use an FPCA both to register to vote and to request an absentee ballot. An FPCA needs to be sent in each election year to ensure that you will receive an absentee ballot. All states and territories accept the FPCA, but the information required varies. The FPCA is available online at http://fvap.gov/pubs/onlinefpca.pdf and on the CIE website.
Although the FPCA looks very simple to fill out, there are surprising mistakes that people can make that will prevent its acceptance. Thus, on are website are detailed instructions (Instruct for onlinepca.doc). At times, you will need to consult the state-by-state information available online at http://fvap.gov/pubs/vag/vagchapter3.html.
You must send your completed FPCA to the local election official in the county (or, in a few instances, city or town) where you last resided. Your legal residency is most likely where you live while studying here or where your parents live.
We recommend that you fill out the FPCA before you leave the United States (preferably today). This will ensure that your local election officials have sufficient time to process your FPCA and send you your absentee ballot at the earliest point possible (usually 30-45 days before the election).
If you are having trouble downloading the FPCA, you can e-mail vote@fvap.ncr.gov to request a copy attached to an e-mail. You also can e-mail voting2004@aol.com with questions about filling out the form. If you have submitted your FPCA and do not receive an absentee ballot by October 1, 2004, you should send an email to vote@fvap.ncr.gov and they will investigate the situation for you and provide a write-in ballot. This service is only available to those who have submitted an FPCA.
Please let me know if you have any question or if you cannot open any of these documents. And please keep in touch and let us know how you are doing and what you are up to.
Best Regards,
Debbie
Debbie Danna
Director, Center for International Education
Loyola University New Orleans
Tel: (504)864-7550
Fax: (504)864-7548
e-mail: danna@loyno.edu