Voting Information News
January 2008, Vol. 18, 1

A roundup of voting news from the Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP)
For voters, potential voters and those who assist voters.

State Voter Registration Verification Websites

States and territories are making it easier to find out your voter registration status. Twenty-two states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia have web sites where a voter can check their registration status. NOTE: The website addresses are subject to change. Please check www.fvap.gov/vao/stregissites.html for updates.

• Arizona, https://servicearizona.com/webapp/evoter/select_language.do
• Arkansas, https://www.voterview.ar-nova.org/
• Delaware, pollingplace.delaware.gov/
• District of Columbia, www.dcboee.org/voterreg/vic_step1.asp
• Georgia, www.sos.state.ga.us/cgi-bin/Locator.asp
• Indiana, www.indianavoters.com/PublicSite/Public/PublicVoterRegistration.aspx?AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1. Note: You can also check the status of your Provisional Vote.
• Iowa, www.sos.state.ia.us/elections/VoterReg/RegToVote/search.aspx
• Kansas, https://myvoteinfo.voteks.org/
• Kentucky, cdc.ky.gov/VICWeb/index.jsp
• Louisiana, sos.louisiana.gov/polllocator/
• Maryland. mdelections.umbc.edu
  NOTE: You can get a sample ballot at this site also.
• Michigan, michigan.gov/sos/0,1607,7-127-1633-49313--,00.html
• Nebraska, https://www.votercheck.necvr.ne.gov/. Note: You can also check the status of your Provisional Vote.
• New Mexico, https://voterview.state.nm.us/
• North Carolina, www.sboe.state.nc.us/votersearch/seimsvot.htm. NOTE: You can check the status of your Provisional Vote at this site also.
• Ohio, www.sos.state.oh.us/sosapps/elections/voterquery.aspx
• Pennsylvania, www.dos.state.pa.us/voting/cwp/view.asp?a=1206&Q=446253&sureNav=|
• Puerto Rico.www.ceeput.org/serviciosLineas/estatusEelectoral/index.htm. NOTE: This site is in Spanish and you need your voter registration number to verify your status.
• Rhode Island, www.sec.state.ri.us/vic/
• South Carolina, https://webprod.cio.sc.gov/SCSECVoterWeb/voterInformationSearch.do
• Utah, gva1.utah.gov/elections/polling.aspx
• Virginia, www.sbe.state.va.us/VotReg/VR_Confirmation/Default.html. NOTE: To get this information you must have a Personal Identification Number (PIN) from the VA Department of Motor Vehicles. To request a PIN via mail, you must have a Virginia Drivers License or a Virginia State Identification Number.
• Washington, https://wei.secstate.wa.gov/onlinevoterregistration/Registration.aspx
• West Virginia, www.wvvotes.com/voters/am-i-registered.php

Voting Assistance Officers (VAO): A "To Do" Checklist for 2008

• Get the word out! All personnel need to receive instruction and have access to absentee voting activities, including training sessions; registration drives, distribution of voting materials, and provided the support during the absentee voting process. Post this newsletter monthly on bulletin boards and forward copies by e-mail to those you serve to ensure they are informed.
• Remind new arrivals to your unit to notify their local election officials (LEO) of their updated mailing address (election materials are generally not forwarded). The FPCA can be used to request a mailing address change with the LEO in the voting residence state.
• Display the Election Calendar and Motivational Voting Posters in highly visible locations to remind people about registering and voting. Provide contact information to allow people with voting questions to reach you for assistance.
• Promote the use of the electronic transmission service where allowed by state law. You should be familiar with the proper procedures for faxing election materials and make a fax machine available for citizens to use for this purpose wherever possible. Advise citizens to include an e-mail address, a phone number and a fax number (if possible) so the LEO can reach the applicant if needed. Remember, it is very important to use a separate cover sheet for each FPCA faxed. A transmittal (cover) sheet to be used by the absentee voter when faxing to the local election official is included in Appendix B of the VAG. Have plenty of copies available for those using the fax option.
• New VAOs, before you begin assisting others in filling out the FPCA, go through the process a couple of times. Fill out an FPCA for yourself, using your state’s pages in the Voting Assistance Guide (VAG). Then read through the procedures of several other states being mindful of the differences between states (deadlines, notary/witness requirements, specific procedures).
• Read through the other sections of the VAG. Chapters 1 and 2 provide further instructions on your duties as a VAO. Find your Service Voting Action Officer’s (SVAO) contact information inside the front cover. Your SVAO is your primary link to voting programs (see Voting Action Officer contact information on page 3).
• Make sure you are on the distribution list for this newsletter and the voting news releases and that once received, you make it available to all the people you are assisting. These publications are critical to your voting program as they relay information on special and run-off elections held, as well as primary election date changes in the states. To subscribe, send an -mail to vote@fvap.ncr.gov.
• Read through back issues of this newsletter and previous Voting Information News Releases. These are available at www.fvap.gov/pubs/pubforms.html.
• Take inventory of your supplies. Ensure that you have a 2008-09 VAG, voting posters, Federal Post Card Applications (4 for each person you are responsible for providing assistance).
• Ensure that you have an adequate supply of Federal Writ-In Absentee Ballots (FWABs). If you are overseas, be sure to have one on hand for each person you are responsible for. Consult Appendix G of the VAG for usage directions. Be aware that some states have expanded use of the FWAB to include primaries and non-general elections. FWAB’s usage may also be expanded on an ad hoc basis by the states.
• Remind citizens to vote and return the absentee ballots, no matter how late they receive them up until Election Day. Many states allow for counting of absentee ballots received after Election Day. NOTE: if the voter has voted the FWAB and has sent it to the LEO and later receives the regular state Absentee ballot; advise him or her to vote the regular state ballot also and to send it immediately. The voter is not voting twice. The LEO, upon receiving the FWAB, places it on hold until it is time for counting the ballots. If the LEO receives, in addition to the FWAB, a properly executed regular state absentee ballot, the LEO will only count the regular state absentee ballot.
• Provide training sessions or briefings devoted to registration and absentee voting procedures and include the importance of voting in primary elections. These sessions (or a separate one) should be available to family members as well as new personnel. Set aside time to assist those who are newly transferred.
• Plan to participate in one of the training workshops conducted by the FVAP or take the on-line training.
• Be sure the installation or Embassy/Consulate telephone operator knows to refer callers requiring voting assistance to you. If your contact information changes, notify the operator immediately.
• Visit the FVAP’s Website at www.fvap.gov frequently for information and resources on the Program as well as links to other sites of interest in carrying out your VAO duties. Post the address in visible areas and encourage people to visit the site often for links to their state election websites. Most FVAP publications are available at the site including the PDF version of the 2006-07 VAG. Updates to the website are made on a regular basis.
• Start planning for Overseas Citizens Voters Week (June 28 - July 7, 2008) and Armed Forces Voters Week (August 31 - September 7, 2008). Stress early action to ensure registration and participation in the primaries and the November 4, 2008 general election.
• Establish and maintain a continuity folder for your successor upon your departure. This will ensure that your successor receives a quick orientation of his or her VAO responsibilities and will be helpful in meeting your organization’s absentee voting needs. Place a copy of each newsletter in the folder and any other information pertaining to absentee voting (voting activities, best practices, lessons learned).
• Inform your superiors of your activities, especially the voting assistance efforts that you have undertaken. This may include the number of potential voters you assisted, the amount of voting materials distributed and any other pertinent activities (workshops/registration drives) that you coordinated as part of your voting assistance activities.
• Send your Service Voting Action Officer an e-mail (contact information below) of your best practices and lessons learned. FVAP publishes these for sharing with other VAOs around the world. Chapter 1 of the 2008-09 VAG provides guidelines for submitting best practices and lessons learned.

Washington State Presidential Primary and Caucus Information

Presidential Primary

Washington State will be holding the Presidential Primary election on February 19th, 2008. If you have not done so already in calendar year 2008, all members of the U.S. Uniformed Services and their family members and citizens residing outside the U.S. who are Washington residents should request a ballot by completing and submitting a registration and ballot request Federal Post Card Application (FPCA), SF-76, as soon as possible. The online version of the FPCA is available from the FVAP website at www.fvap.gov/pubs/fpca.html. Specific instructions for Washington are available at: www.fvap.gov/pubs/vag/pdfvag/wa.pdf.

FWAB Expansion

Washington has expanded use of the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB) to include Presidential Primary elections. For instructions on using the FWAB and to download the on-line version of the FWAB, go to www.fvap.gov/pubs/onlinefwab.html.

Candidate names for the Primary election are available on the Washington Secretary of State website at www.secstate.wa.gov/elections/2008presidential_primary.aspx.

Party Caucuses

Washington Democratic and Republican parties will hold party caucuses ten days before the Presidential Primary on Saturday, February 9, 2008.

The Washington Democratic Party allows members of the military, unable to attend the caucus in-person because of military service, to participate in the Democratic Party precinct caucuses by submitting a Surrogate Affidavit form. The procedures for eligibility and use of the Surrogate Affidavit form are set forth on the form, which will be available at www.wa-democrats.org/index.php?page=events&view=eventdetail&eventid=490.

Information from the Washington Republican Party is available at www.wsrp.org.

VOTING ACTION OFFICERS

Department of State: Office of American Citizen Services

Chief Voting Action Officer: Jack Markey
tel: (202) 736-4937, fax: (202) 647-6201
Deputy Voting Action Officer: Mr. Peter B. Platukis
tel: (202) 647-3441, fax: (202) 647-6201
email: votinginfo@state.gov
World Wide Web: travel.state.gov/law/info/info_2964.html

Service Voting Action Officers

Dept. of the Army: Mr. Alton Perry
tel: (703)325-4530 DSN: 221-4530, fax:(703) 325-4532 DSN fax: 221-4532
email: alton.c.perry@conus.army.mil
World Wide Web: https://www.hrc.army.mil/site/Active/TAGD/pssd/psb/votingindex.htm

Dept. of the Navy: Mr. Dave Stevens
tel: (901) 874-4634, 1-866-827-5672, Option 6
fax: (901) 874-6844, DSN 882-6844
e-mail: vote@navy.mil
World Wide Web: www.cni.navy.mil/cnic_hq_site/BaseSupport/CommandStaff/NavyVotingProgram/index.htm


Dept. of the Air Force: Mr. Gilbert D. Harrison
tel: (210) 565-5000, toll free: 1-800 616-3775 (Select options 1, then 1, then 2 from menu),
DSN 665-5000; fax: (210) 565-2543, DSN fax: 665-2543;
email: afpc/dpffofvotefund@randolph.af.mil
World Wide Web: www.afcrossroads.com/VoteFund/Vote/default.htm

Marine Corps: Mr. David E. James
tel: (703) 784-9511, DSN: 278-9511, fax: (703) 784-9823, DSN fax: 278-9823
email: mra.voting.officer@usmc.mil
World Wide Web: https://www.manpower.usmc.mil/voting

U.S. Coast Guard: LTJG Frank Marcheski
tel: (202) 475-5375, fax: (202) 475-5375;
email: Frank.A.Marcheski@uscg.mil
World Wide Web: www.uscg.mil/hq/g-w/g-wp/g-wpm/g-wpm-1/VotingAssistance/Voting_Assistance.htm

Please feel free to copy, redistribute, and use Voting information News articles in other publications.

FEDERAL VOTING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

Department of Defense
1155 Defense Pentagon
Washington, DC 20301-1155

PHONE:
(703) 588-1584
DSN 425-1584

FAX:
(703) 696-1352
DSN 426-1352

VOTING INFORMATION CENTER:
(703) 588-1343
DSN 425-1343

TOLL FREE:
1-800-438-VOTE (8683)

Visit our website for international toll-free phone and fax numbers.

E-Mail:
vote@fvap.ncr.gov

Comments or suggestions on this newsletter are welcome.

We're on the Web!
www.fvap.gov

NOTE: The appearance of external hyperlinks does not constitute endorsement by the United States Federal Government, United States Department of Defense or the Federal Voting Assistance Program of the linked web sites, or the information, products or services contained therein. The Federal Voting Assistance Program does not exercise any editorial control over the information you January find at these locations.

Last updated/reviewed: January 7, 2008