VOTING INFORMATION NEWS
July 2008 * Vol. 18, No. 7
A roundup of voting news from the Federal Voting Assistance Program
(FVAP) for voters, potential voters and those who assist voters.

CELEBRATE INDEPENDENCE - OVERSEAS CITIZENS' VOTING WEEK JUNE 28 - JULY
7, 2008

The Secretary of Defense has designated June 28 through July 7, 2008 as
Overseas Citizens Voters Week.  This is an excellent time to get the
word out as U.S. citizens gather for Independence Day activities.

Overseas Citizens Voters Week is generally geared toward non-military
voters, but the Services are encouraged to have an Independence Day
registration booth, too.  As a Voting Assistance Officer (VAO), you
should make sure that those you support have received and filled out
their Federal Post Card Application (FPCA, SF 76) for registration
and/or ballot request.

You should work with other VAOs on base to plan Overseas Citizens Voters
Week.  The Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) schedules this event
the week around the Fourth of July because many bases, embassies and
consulates have celebrations that enable you to reach a large contingent
of people at once. 

The VAOs on base should coordinate with their installation VAO and their
Service Voting Action Officer (see page 3) in the development of
"Overseas Citizens Voters Week.    Publicize the importance of early
action on the part of the voter in order to obtain a ballot for the
general election well in advance of election deadlines.  Your
Installation VAO and Service Voting Action Officer will have "good
ideas" to pass on to you.  Also look on the FVAP website for "good
ideas" from other Services.

The objective of this campaign is to promote voter outreach efforts
worldwide.  Events should help ensure that all citizens have been given
the opportunity to receive information on how to obtain an absentee
ballot and how to return their voted ballot on time to meet the state
deadlines.

Events held during this week should create excitement about voting.
Examples of outreach efforts include disseminating voter information and
registration forms, conducting voter registration drives and training
workshops, and providing general assistance to citizens.  Local
publicity campaigns, ranging from newspaper articles and posters to
television and radio coverage, can inform voters when and where these
events occur.

In preparation VAOs should do the following:
1 - Gather voting materials (forms, posters, pamphlets)
2 - Contact the installation organization in charge of
social activities and see if there will be an Independence Day
celebration
3 - Prepare to set up a booth or table at the Fourth of
July Celebration so you can share voting information
4 - Prepare short information pieces for local
newsletters or bulletin boards regarding the upcoming event or elections
coming up


THE FUNDAMENTALS OF BEING A VOTING ASSISTANCE OFFICER - FVAP WORKSHOPS

It is highly recommended that as a Voting Assistance Officer, you attend
a training workshop. 

The Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) Workshop The FVAP conducts
Voting Assistance Officer (VAO) training on the first and third Thursday
of every month at the FVAP office.  In addition, the FVAP provides a
number of regionally-held workshops at select military installations and
mobilization sites as requested by the Services.  These workshops are
oriented towards VAOs and persons who provide voting assistance at U.S.
Embassies and Consulates, Military installations, and American Citizen
Organizations overseas.  VAOs from nearby installations, regardless of
Service, should be invited to attend these workshops at the host
installation.  Although primarily for VAOs, workshops are open to any
interested persons.

The workshop takes approximately two hours and is an interactive,
hands-on training session with the participants asking questions and
making comments as the workshop progresses.  The workshop provides
timely information about the absentee registration and voting process
for Uniformed Services voters and U.S. citizens overseas; information,
resources and tools critical to preparing VAOs to effectively perform
their duties in assisting Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee
Voting Act (UOCAVA) citizens.

Role of the VAO
VAOs are critical to the success of voting assistance programs.  In
fact, the knowledge and effectiveness of a VAO, combined with a
comprehensive voting assistance plan, may very well determine whether a
citizen understands how and when to participate in the election process.
VAOs are responsible for providing accurate, non-partisan voting
information and assistance to citizens of all 55 states and territories
who want to exercise their right to vote.  Many VAOs are new to the job
and may find it difficult to provide voting assistance or answer voting
related questions. The VAO training workshop will answer these questions
and make it easier for VAOs to help individuals follow the proper
absentee ballot procedures.

Basic agenda
The Installation VAO begins by introducing the commander (General/Flag
officer or other high ranking official) who will give the opening
remarks and introduce the FVAP person who will conduct the workshop.  If
the local election official is available, FVAP will present him or her.
(The local election official will answer questions pertinent to local
military voters that may come up during the session and may distribute
local forms.)  The workshop will cover the following topics: the UOCAVA
and the FVAP, the VAO duties and responsibilities, the absentee voting
process, how to use absentee voting materials and additional resources.

Events should emphasize the importance of registering and requesting an
absentee ballot in sufficient time to allow citizens to receive, vote
and return the voted ballot in time to meet state election deadlines.

VAOs should note that they cannot advise voters on specific candidates
or issues and that all activities should be conducted on a nonpartisan
basis.  However VAOs may refer these citizens to other information
sources such as local, regional and national newspapers, information
pamphlets from political parties, and the FVAP website www.fvap.gov
(select State Election Sites). 


Online VAO Training Courses

In addition to the onsite VAO Training courses, the FVAP has the two
versions (Uniformed Service, and Overseas Citizens.) of the VAO training
courses online in Adobe Acrobat and Microsoft PowerPoint 2003 formats at
www.fvap.gov. The Adobe Acrobat version requires Acrobat Reader 7.0 or
higher to view. This material is also on the VAO Resources CD, available
upon request through email at vote@fvap.ncr.gov. 

FVAP also provides a self-administered VAO training, available online
and on the VAO Resources CD. The self-administered training is targeted
to VAOs who are not able to attend an instructor-led workshop. Once the
training is complete, the VAO will be able to print off a training
certificate to place in the Voting Program Continuity Folder.

It is important to use the 2008-09 Voting Assistance Guide, and the FPCA
(SF76) and the FWAB (SF186) while taking any of these courses. 


2008-09 PRESIDENTIAL POST-ELECTION SURVEY Each presidential election
year, the Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) conducts
post-election surveys as required by the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens
Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA).  These surveys help determine voter
participation by military and overseas citizens in the electoral process
and assist us in evaluating and improving our program.  This survey is
not the same as the Election Day survey conducted by the U.S. Election
Assistance Commission. 

There are six populations that make up the FVAP post-election survey.

* Department of State Voting Assistance Officers
* Local Election Officials
* Unit Voting Assistance Officers
* Uniformed Service Members (active duty and reserve)
* Overseas Citizens - Non-Federal Employees
* Federal Civilian Employees Overseas

The actual survey will be administered in November 2008.  If contacted
to take the survey, we strongly encourage you to participate, as your
responses will play a very important part in improving the absentee
voting process for military and overseas absentee voters.  If you have
any questions or comments regarding the survey, please contact Ms. Erin
E. St Pierre at 1-800-438-8683 or vote@fvap.ncr.gov.

The FVAP thanks you in advance for your participation!


Voting Assistance Officers' "To Do" This Month:
* Take inventory of your supplies.  You want to make sure you have
FPCAs, FWABs and posters on hand for Overseas Citizens' Voting Week

* Be sure your contact information has been posted correctly in your
area.  Make sure installation or Embassy/Consulate telephone operators
know to refer callers requiring voting assistance to you

* Review the 2008-09 Voting Assistance Guide's Introduction, Chapter 1
and Chapter 2 for important information.

* Every month you should be checking the FVAP website (www.fvap.gov) for
updates to the 2008-09 Voting Assistance Guide.

Voting Action Officers

Department of State: Office of Overseas Citizens Services
Chief VAO: Mr. Jack Markey (202) 736-4937, fax: (202)
647-6201, votinginfo@state.gov
Deputy VAO: Ms. Elizabeth Gracon, (202) 647-6129, fax: (202)
647-6201
http://travel.state.gov/law/info/info_2964.html

Service Voting Action Officers
Army: Mr. Alton Perry (703) 325-4530, DSN: 221-4530, fax: (703)
325-4532, DSN fax: 221-4532,
alton.c.perry@conus.army.mil,
https://www.hrc.army.mil/site/Active/TAGD/pssd/psb/votingindex.htm

Navy: LT Jason Watkins 1-866-U-ASK-NPC (827-5672) (select
option 6 from menu), fax: (901) 874-6844,
DSN fax: 882-6844, vote@navy.mil,
http://www.cni.navy.mil/cnic_hq_site/BaseSupport/CommandStaff/NavyVoting
Program/index.htm

Air Force: Mr. Gilbert D. Harrison, Jr. (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,
afpc/dpffofvotefund@randolph.af.mil,
http://www.afcrossroads.com/VoteFund/Vote/default.htm
 
Marine Corps: Mr. David E. James (703) 784-9511, DSN: 278-9511, fax:
(703) 784-9823, DSN fax: 278-9823,
mra.voting.officer@usmc.mil,
https://www.manpower.usmc.mil/pls/portal/url/page/m_ra_home/MR/Personnel
/Voting

Coast Guard: LTJG Frank Marcheski (202) 475-5375, fax: (202)
475-5927, Frank.A.Marcheski@uscg.mil

http://www.uscg.mil/hq/g-w/g-wp/g-wpm/g-wpm-1/VotingAssistance/Voting_As
sistance.htm

Links to the Services' websites are available at www.fvap.gov.


Federal Voting Assistance Program
Department of Defense
1155 Defense Pentagon
Washington, DC  20301-1155

(703) 588-1584
DSN 425-1584
TOLL FREE: 1-800-438-VOTE (8683)

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

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

Email: vote@fvap.ncr.gov

Comments or suggestions on this newsletter are welcome and appreciated.

Website:www.fvap.gov

Vote!