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Details for upcoming voter’s week

  • Published
  • Installation Voting Assistance Office
FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. --  Armed Forces Voters Week is June 28 through July 7. Military members and their families are reminded to register to vote and request absentee ballots as the national conventions draw near and the general election for president draws near.

Unfortunately, there are some myths circulating the Fairchild Voting Assistance Officers want to bust about absentee voting. Read each statement below and see if you can identify which are true and which are false.

1. Absentee ballots aren't counted unless it's a close election.
False. Every absentee ballot is counted as long as it is properly completed, sent to the correct address and arrives before the state's deadline.

2. Military spouses and dependants can use military absentee voting forms.
True. Spouses and adult children (must be 18 years old by Nov. 6, 2012) can use the same Standard Form 76 (Federal Postcard Application) and Standard Form 186 (Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot) as the military member. They may also register at the same website, www.fvap.gov. This also applies for adult children away at college.

3. Once registered to vote, always registered to vote.
False. If there is an address or name change, or a change of residency to a different state the voting information must be updated. A standard U.S. Postal Service change of address form doesn't always make its way to county elections offices. That's one of the reasons the base voting assistance officer sends information about the Standard Form 76 each January. This also reminds members to register to vote and request an absentee ballot on the same form.

4. My state of legal residence will track me.
False. (See #3) States drop people from their registration rolls if they don't vote in two successive elections? For those who only vote during presidential election years they may have been dropped. People can check http://www.fvap.gov/reference/links.html#svrvw to verify their voter registration.

5. I'm a legal resident of Washington and I live in Washington, so I can't vote absentee.
False. In the state of Washington, any registered voter may vote by absentee ballot. Residents may request an absentee ballot as early as 90 days before an election. (Absentee ballots are not issued on election day except to a voter who is a resident of a health care facility). The request for an absentee ballot must be made to county auditors or elections department (not to the Secretary of State).

NOTE: Absentee ballots must be signed and postmarked or delivered to the county election officer on or before election day. Requesting an Absentee Ballot: One-time absentee ballot requests may be made either in person, by phone, fax, electronically or by mail. Contact your County Auditor to request an absentee ballot. Please keep in mind that absentee ballots must be signed and postmarked or delivered to the county election officer on or before election day.

6. I'm a Reservist. I can't use the military absentee voting forms.
False. While most reservists are residents of the state in which they serve, they can deploy to remote locations. The Standard Form 186 is a must-use tool if a reservist is deploying or performing duties away from their home state.

7. I can't vote if I'm deployed.
False. If a member is registered to vote while deployed and doesn't receive their state ballot they can use the Standard Form 186. Remember the request at least four to six weeks prior to Nov. 6. Official recommend before Sept. 22.

8. I got my pre-printed state ballot from my state a few days after I sent in my Standard Form 186, so now I can fill it out and send it in.
True. You won't be voting twice, either. For example: A member is already registered, but they didn't receive their state ballot by Sept. 15, so they went to www.fvap.gov and filled out the Standard Form 186 and mailed it. Two days later, they get a state ballot. They are required to fill it out and send it. If the state receives both ballots -- they'll only count the one they mailed to the member.

Finally, there are also two bad truths about absentee voting. If people don't register, they can't vote. If they don't send in their ballot, it won't get counted.

Use the absentee voting system. The Federal Voting Assistance Program (www.fvap.gov) has an voting assistant feature that can automatically populate a member's state-specific requirements, insert eligible candidates and offer options for how to submit forms and the ballot.

The state of Washington Secretary of State election division's website is http://www.sos.wa.gov/elections/. At Fairchild, the Installation Voting Assistance Office is located at 7 W. Arnold St., Building 2040, Suite 109. The voting office is co-located with the Retiree Activities Office and is open from Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Each unit has a unit voting assistance officer who can assist members and their families with any questions they may have. There are also three Fairchild voting assistance officers, Lt. Col. Jim O'Connell, Capt. Maribel Jarzabek and 1st Lt. Sarabeth Moore, who are available by emailing 92ARWVote@us.af.mil.