Federal Voting Assistance Program
WEST VIRGINIA TO HOLD SPECIAL ELECTION FOR GOVERNOR
On Tuesday, October 4, 2011, West Virginia will hold a statewide, special general election for Governor, to fill the vacancy created when former Governor Joe Manchin won election to the United States Senate. The elected candidate will serve the remainder of the unexpired term, through January 13, 2013.
Voting Assistance Officers should contact West Virginia voters and inform them of this news release and assist them in requesting and returning their absentee ballot.
Register to Vote
To vote in this election you must register by submitting a post-marked Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) or a West Virginia Voter Registration Application. West Virginia allows you to email or fax the FPCA, but if this is your first time registering to vote in a particular West Virginia county, you must mail the original FPCA. Applications must be postmarked and sent to the local county clerk by September 13, 2011. Voter Registration Applications transmitted by other methods must be received by the county clerk no later than close of business September 13, 2011.
Request Your Ballot Now!
You will not receive a ballot automatically, even if you voted in the November 2, 2010 general election! Use the FPCA to request an absentee ballot. Go to FVAP.gov and get started! It only takes a few minutes! Alternately you may obtain an FPCA from your unit or installation voting assistance officer and at U.S. embassies and consulates worldwide; but you must follow the West Virginia instructions given at FVAP.gov. Indicate on the FPCA how you would like to receive your absentee ballot: by mail, email, or fax.
If you are already registered to vote, the deadline for submitting an FPCA to request a ballot is September 28, 2011.
Send the FPCA by Email, Fax or Mail
If you choose to email your FPCA, you should send the form to the email address listed for your county clerk at http://www.sos.wv.gov/public-services/contacts/Pages/ClerkCountyComm.aspx. If you choose to fax your FPCA, fax the form to the fax number listed for the county clerk's office where you reside. You may also use the DoD Electronic Transmission Service to fax your FPCA toll free. To use the Electronic Transmission Service, use the cover sheet available in the Voting Assistance Guide, or at FVAP.gov, and fax to: (703)-693-5527, DSN 223-5527, or tollfree from the U.S., Canada, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands to 1-800-368-8683. International toll-free numbers can be found at FVAP.gov. Voter Alert Telephone: 703-588-1584 E-mail: vote@fvap.gov.
To find out the status of your registration/absentee ballot request, contact your local election office or refer to West Virginia’s website at: https://apps.sos.wv.gov/elections/voter/track-myballot.aspx.
Receive Your Ballot
If you request that a ballot be mailed to you, it will be sent within one day after receipt of your request. If you request a ballot to be emailed, the ballot will be sent to the email address you supplied on your absentee ballot application. If you request a ballot by fax, the ballot will be sent to the fax number you supplied on your absentee ballot application.
PLEASE NOTE: Be sure you include a fax number or email address on your absentee ballot application.
If you are concerned about not receiving your ballot in time to vote, you may use the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB, SF-186). The FWAB instructions are available at www.FVAP.gov. The FWAB is also available in embassies and consulates and military installations around the world.
Return Your Ballot
You may return the voted ballot by mail, email or fax.
Your voted ballot must be postmarked by October 4, 2011 and must be received by October 11, 2011, in order to be counted.
You may fax or email the ballot directly to your local election official. Include ballot, voter affirmation, and cover sheet with secrecy waiver. Fax numbers and email addresses can be found at http://www.sos.wv.gov/public-services/contacts/Pages/ClerkCountyComm.aspx.
Civilians residing outside the U.S.: Contact your closest U.S. Embassy or consulate for specific instructions on how voted ballots, with proper domestic postage attached, can be returned to the United States from any U.S. embassy or consulate. To locate your nearest U.S. embassy or consulate, visit http://www.usembassy.gov/.
Additional Information
State specific information on precincts, candidates, elections, and voting is available at the West Virginia website, http://www.sos.wv.gov/elections/Pages/2011GubernatorialElection.aspx.
FVAP can be contacted via 1-800-438-8683. Citizens may reach FVAP toll-free from 67 countries by using the toll-free numbers listed on the FVAP web portal, http://www.fvap.gov/contact/index.html. Questions regarding the above may also be referred to the Director, Federal Voting Assistance Program, Department of Defense, 1155 Defense Pentagon, Washington, DC, 20301-1155, vote@fvap.gov, and on the World Wide Web at www.fvap.gov.
