US Citizens in Panama, Register to Vote Now!

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 I have had a couple of people ask about the procedure for voting overseas.  Since I researched this fairly recently, I thought I would share the info.  The most important thing you need to know is that time is running out!  The government urges voters to apply more than 45 days before the election – and that means you need to act now!   There is a special website set up just for this purpose.  It is www.fvap.gov. This stands for Federal Voting Assistance Program.  On its homepage, by selecting the box that says, “I am a citizen living outside the US”, you begin a SIMPLE step by step process that will get you a ballot.  Each state has its own process so you will need to choose the state where you last resided.  This is absolutely NOT for tax purposes.  But, since we all know that elections are won by the majority of the electoral college rather than the popular vote, you need to vote in a state to make your vote count.  You will be asked whether you are a new voter or previously registered.   

The method of requesting a ballot and the method of receiving the ballot vary from state to state.  Some states accept a request by either email, fax, or mail.  Some states will email you back a ballot for you to print and fill out but others only mail ballots and that is why it is essential to get this done NOW.  The FVAP website also provides you with an option if it is two weeks prior to the election and you still have not received your ballot from your state.  This option can only be used, however, if you have previously requested the ballot.

Once you have received your ballot and filled it in, you can either mail it back to your state by regular old mail or a much better idea is to take it to the embassy and they will mail it for you. If I have left anything out, and I probably have, the FVAP website is bound to have the answer to your question.