Expat Voters Tangled Up in Ballot Red Tape

"Will Mississippi election officials accept a Czech-language notarization?" Brian Reagan, an American citizen living in Prague, asked OffTheBus. Reagan was illustrating just one of many ways the vaguely written ballot requirements in at least a dozen states threaten thousands of expatriate votes.

Expats voting in Mississippi must notarize their ballots or their vote won't count. Expats voting in Minnesota must certify their ballots. South Carolina and Virginia law requires a witness to sign each overseas ballot. Louisiana and Wisconsin law require two witnesses. In the Badger State, both witnesses must be U.S. citizens, a requirement that is darn hard to meet from some corners of the world.

"We're seeing all sorts of problems, thousands of them, at all levels," said Margo Miller, co-chair of the International Voter Registration Committee for Democrats Abroad and co-founder of VoteFromAbroad.org. From her London office, Miller told OffTheBus that election officials and expat support groups have seen an increase in voter confusion this year, compared to 2004. "There's much more interest in this election, and that's part of the reason for the increased frustration with all these little-known preconditions," she said.

Expats used to feel removed from events in the United States, but not anymore. Eight years of failed foreign policy decisions by the Bush Administration have negatively impacted the lives of Americans overseas, and now they want to make their voices heard in November. What happened in Florida in 2000, and Ohio in 2004, was a wake-up call. Thousands of expats suddenly realized that their vote really can make a difference.

It's one thing to cast a vote, another to make sure it counts

In Texas, overseas ballots must be marked in dark blue or black ink, or they will not be counted. In Maryland, some counties require a #2 pencil. "What constitutes a #2 pencil in Ireland?" a mystified voter asked Miller.

In California, where Brian Reagan is from, ballots being sent out from Los Angeles may have the words Sample Ballot printed on them. "This is terribly misleading, because this slate is the only ballot these expats will receive. They should vote it, and return it," Jody Couser, press officer for Democrats Abroad, told OffTheBus.

In Ohio, a voter currently living in Germany was removed from the registered voters list in Cincinnati because he did not return an address verification notice mailed to him in 2003. He was instructed to re-register, but the notice arrived in the mail after voter registration had closed in 2008.

In Alaska, an expat with a social security number and an American passport was denied registration because he did not have an Alaskan hunting/fishing license, an Alaskan pay stub, or an Alaskan student loan. This happened to his entire family.

In Idaho, a voter currently living in Taiwan tried for three months to register, without success. Finally an election official told him that the form he mailed in -- which was taken right off the Idaho Voter Registration homepage -- was an "old card" and might be the problem.

In Minnesota, voter certification requirements changed in June, but as of this week the Secretary of State's website still had not been updated.

Expats are helping each other figure out the system

The total number of potential overseas voters is nearly seven million, and more of these American citizens are now registered than ever before. To help demystify the overseas voting process, Miller and others are using the power of the internet. "It starts with communicating the basics," she said. "Americans living abroad have the right to vote, but many of them don't know it. And many don't know they must take the initiative to request a ballot."

Websites offering assistance in figuring out the peculiarities of state ballots include DemocratsAbroad.org and VoteFromAbroad.org. Voters who have already solved a particular ballot problem are encouraged to email [e-mail] on the Voting Action Center page, to share what they've learned with others. "Don't become discouraged by the horror stories you hear. Working together, we can make sure every vote counts," said Miller.

Expats who mailed or faxed their votes should follow-up with their local election official to make certain their ballots were received. Miller spoke with one woman who faxed her ballot twice, but still no one could find it. "As it turns out, her name was written in the wrong spot on the fax. Her vote would not have counted if she hadn't telephoned and discovered the error."

Votes for Obama will be challenged in greater numbers

More Obama votes have the potential to be questioned or discarded because the expat vote appears to be breaking his way. The overseas military vote is no longer a Republican stronghold, and civilian expats view this election as especially important because of the hostility they feel for George Bush. Larry Moffett, a former New Yorker now living in Belgium, told OffTheBus that Obama is "far more popular than McCain in Belgium, by a margin of about 10 to l."

The European media is "treating both candidates fairly objectively since Europeans try not to be seen as interfering in the affairs of a foreign country," said Moffett. The BBC is probably the most widely listened to English news source. "I think Fox News, with all its yelling and ticker-tape graphics, would terrify the average European," said Reagan.

Expats have the potential to become a silent swing vote in a number of states, but many remain confused by the larger American electorate. "We don't understand how Bush won in the first place, or how the race in 2008 can even be close. Europeans are perplexed by what the U.S. voter sees, or doesn't see," said Moffett. "The widely held view is that an Obama win is America's last chance for redemption."

* * *

Americans living abroad who have registered to vote but still have not received a ballot can vote using the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB), a back-up ballot only available to Americans living outside the United States. It is available at www.votefromabroad.org.

Photo contributed by Tamara Rafkin, a U.S. citizen currently living in Belgium.

Comments

[petufeli]

I live in the United Arab Emirates and sent in my vote to Wisconsin this week. I also helped a friend send hers to Pennsylvania. It is not an easy process, but I think expats are used to red tape and bureaucratic difficulties. Two things made it easier: www.overseasvotefoundation.org (a non-profit that helps overseas voters) and Federal Express' "express your vote program" The website provides detailed instructions and generates the appropriate forms for each state. Fed Ex gives a substantial discount for returning your ballot. Hats off to both organizations! I just got word today that my vote arrived and I feel so happy to have been a part of this historic election. Thanks also to you for highlighting the story of expat voters.

[m2c]

im living in tokyo and registered in florida.
we all know what happened in 2000 in florida with the ballots.

so i sent my in, and they had set up a website so you can track the
progress of the ballot though the system,

unfortunately the online tracking system didnt work.

i had to write them an email to see whats up, and then they confirmed that
the ballot was recieved and on what date.

i hope florida is not on a course for disaster again.

get them in, make sure they are counted...

[LightningJoe]

I'm glad to see so many people taking their duty to vote so seriously.

Yes, I said duty, rather than privilege. A democracy is NOT a democracy, if citizens do not cast informed votes. IF you care that you live in a democracy (and yes, a Democratic Republic is most definitely a democracy!), then you have an obligation to make that system work as intended; first by informing yourself on the issues, and then by casting a free and secret ballot for the candidate(s) you think will be most favorable, for the vision of our country you most want to see realized.

Some say that voting doesn't matter; but dare I point out, that voter turnout hovers around thirty percent, most years? This means that only sixteen percent of U.S. citizens, if they turn out and vote, can drive this country in whatever direction they want!

OF COURSE voting doesn't make a difference -- if no one does it!

Next time someone tells you their vote doesn't count anyway, point out that it's not casting the vote that makes it not count. Would you let one person in a car, decide where six people are going to go for dinner?

Have the courage to believe that the system CAN work, if we do our part and vote like we should.

[ExpatEd]

I live in Russia now and fortunately did not have any major issues. The key is to make sure you request your ballot early enough so there's time to sort out any potential problems - something I didn't take into account for the 2004 election. :-(

One way of getting your ballot to the US is to take it to the nearest embassy or consulate. They will put it in a diplomatic pouch for delivery to the US and once there, it will be mailed (USPS). This assumes you have normal postage affixed to the envelope - if you don't have US stamps, you can download a pdf file from http://www.fvap.gov which will allow you to print a postage paid absentee ballot envelope (#10 envelope). Note that the embassy recommends bringing your ballot at least 2 weeks before the election. Oh, and as another poster commented, they can also notarize documents (a service I've utilized).

My ballot can be sent via email or fax before Nov 4th, but NJ also requires the mailed paper version for the vote to 'really' count. I believe this must be received no later than 10 days after the election. I sent mine via the local consulate last week and will check shortly before Nov 4th to ensure it's been received. Anyway, I can tell you it felt really good dropping off my vote!

Obama/Biden 08!!!

[closet librarian]

I'm in Russia too, and it largely depends on the state where you are registered. My home state (AZ) told me outright that they would not mail ballots until October, and I did not receive mine until Wednesday the 22. I had to pay about $50 to ship it back express post, because the state of Arizona stipulates that all ballots must be received on or before November 4, 7:00 pm, otherwise they would not be counted. Bah. Humbug. Arizona made it rather difficult to vote at all, but I must say the ladies I emailed in search of my ballot were very kind an helpful.

[TheAlchemist]

Many thanks to all the ex-pats that are taking the time to figure out the system and cast their votes!

[Cunningham]

I second that! Many thanks to each of them!

I love our ex-pat patriots!

[exPatPatti]

I live in Australia, reg in RI and sent off my ballot yesterday. It took two tries to get it and I never even received my primary ballot so I was super diligent this time. On one site it said I could fax my app in but when I checked with city hall they said that was not the case.

[Adelaaf]

My daughter is an American citizen who has never lived in the USA herself (up to now). She´s tried to register in Connecticut, the state where her father was born, but it´s proving very, very difficult. Her uncle is now trying to sort things out on her behalf.
It´s really incredible to me. I´m a Dutch citizen myself and if I were living abroad and wanted to participate in an election, I would be able to arrange for this quite easily. I think it´s a real shame my daughter is experiencing such problems, she is very excited about this election and eager to participate. She will be extremely disillusioned if red-tape prevents her from voting!

[kingshmoopy]

Another option for people looking for help when living abroad is to contact the nearest American embassy and speak with someone in the American Citizens Services section, they are there to help you. There are Foreign Service Officers there who are notaries (if you need one for your ballot) and can likely act as a witness if you need one (or two). And while they probably wouldn't be able to answer specific questions about State laws (since they are Federal employees and every state has their own laws) they can help you find the information or point you in the right direction.

We live in Ireland and mailed our ballots in last week, felt really good to fill in that little bubble next to Obama's name!

[Kohimama]

We are Oregonians living in New Zealand and have already received our mail-in ballots and have voted. FedEx has a program where if you take your sealed ballot in to one of their offices (or Mail Boxes Etc) FedEx will take it to the States and deliver to your county for free. It worked seamlessly, and it's probably because of Oregon's vote by mail program which was been a huge success for many years. I can't remember the last time I voted at a precinct!

Obama/Biden 08

[girl friday]

Californian in Scotland here. I wish I'd known this about FedEx!! (I wish the Mailboxes Etc. clerk did too!)

I just spent over 30UKP to get it back to the States in time. :P

'ach weel' as they say in Glasgow...

YES WE CAN!
Obama/Biden 08

[Diane Tucker - Huffpost Blogger]

A FedEx program called "Express Your Vote" offers fast, discounted delivery of ballots from 89 countries. (From about a dozen countries, delivery is free.) NOTE: The service ends Oct. 29. Here's the link:

https://www.overseasvotefoundation.org/overseas/ExpressYourVote.htm

Thanks for reading. And thanks for voting!

[Pacaba]

How about making it possible for Americans abroad to vote at their US Embassy by showing an American passport? At least for state and federal offices. How many of those living abroad know anything about the local issues anyhow?

By the way, my son is an American living in The Netherlands and registered in Missouri. I was able to request an absentee ballot for him (relative within the 2nd degree), which the local elections board mailed to him complete with stamped, self-addressed envelope (specially marked to allow the USPS to expedite handling). In Missouri, those abroad filing absentee ballots are not required to submit a notarized ballot, but they are required to sign an affidavit.

[RightWingMarine]

I love it we can see and complain about the problems of smaller government (states) attempt to tackle the issue of expat ballots and their miserable failures so the solution (elsewhere on HuffPo) is to nationalize the election process. Yeah, more governmental employees are what we need. Look at how much better airport security is now and how smoothly the USPS, VA, and the Admin on Aging run. The AoA is giving money to seniors so that they can be independent. How independent are they really when they are getting money to support them?

Forget throwing money at problems, let's throw bureaucrats.

Where your tax dollars are wasted: http://www.usa.gov/Agencies/Federal/All_Agencies/index.shtml

I believe I could find a way to pay for the bailout, and still cut taxes. But a few of these useless agencies would have to go. Do we really need a Admin of Native Americans and a Bureau of Indian Affairs?

[GuyRC]

I think there are legal agreements with the Tribes that would prevent elimination of those Bureaus. We could probably save a lot more money by eliminating subsidies to corn farmers, and oil drillers, etc. But, even though we would not be breaking a legal agreement doing that, it is politically impossible to eliminate subsidies.

[onenvrnos]

There is waste in almost all of the government programs. However, if Obama's Cabinet takes each program, checks its accountability record and determines the waste factually, much of this waste could be eliminated while still securing the program (based on its merits). I look forward to cutting waste, including government sub-contracts. Go Obama/Biden!

[11907281]

"Do we really need a Admin of Native Americans and a Bureau of Indian Affairs?" - Not if you get off their land and head back across the Atlantic. Otherwise, do we really need the VA or something else that is meaningful to you but not to me? And don't go off about fighting for our freedoms, no one in the Stan or Iraq has the ability to take away any Americans freedom, but I'm sure saying it makes you feel good.

[RightWingMarine]

How long must my family be here before I can be considered an American? Should we send black people back to Africa and Asian people back to Asia too? My point was that we have massive amounts of government waste and this is an example of redundancy that we probably don't need. I'm fiercely Libertarian, you're gonna be hard pressed to find a governmental agency that is meaningful to me. If you believe the VA is so great I invite you to seek treatment at a VA hospital but for your own health and welfare find out first if the "doctor" that is treating you actually has a valid license to practice medicine. (Not required by the VA. Thanks America!)
I'll not argue that either of the two countries we are currently engaged in hostilities in was any great threat to us, but at the same time no one joined because he was interested in visiting a third world country. I joined so that I could defend my country from all enemies, lacking a bigger opponent this is the war the President chose. I bet you feel good having the freedom to ridicule veterans.

[YankeeCanuck]

Think of all the money we could save if we stopped poring it into the Pentagon budget.

[RightWingMarine]

I believe the Democratic party platform for national defense involves the issuing of white flags to all our troops.

[KJulier]

I'm an expat living in the UK, voting in Fairfax County, VA. I received my ballot via email and had concerns about printing the materials out on A4 paper, since the materials were formatted for American legal paper. The Fairfax County elections office were very responsive to my concerns and informed me in an email they were aware that overseas ballots would be coming in on all different sizes of paper and would be hand-counted. It would have been better if that information had been included in the instructions, but I was pleased that they were so quick to respond to my questions. I hope other elections offices are as responsive to the questions and concerns of expats. Cheers and Good Luck.

[Kim in Florida]

Please give me the address in Ireland to mail those folks a box of #2 pencils :)

[RighteousAnger]

I live in Bangkok and have no trouble voting in my former home state of Oregon. I know my ballot has been received because I sent it registered airmail. I have successfully been voting in every election from Thailand for nearly 10 years now. Oregon only requires a signature for mail-in ballots (all Oregonians vote by mail). I can't understand why the voting process is not the same for everyone throughout the US. Oregon will go for Obama with my vote and the majority of other Oregonians.

[AngelaQuattrano]

It is time for uniform national registration and voting standards.

[DaveC19]

Don't let them rig the election again:

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/23638322/block_the_vote

We must VOTE in massive numbers. The only way to neutralize all of the cheating is to out vote the purge numbers.