HEIDELBERG, Germany -- For overseas voters, participation in this year's election began when they requested absentee ballots from their hometown election officials earlier this year. Some voters have signed, sealed and had their ballots delivered with time to spare.
For others who have not received their ballots or mailed them before their state's recommended mailing deadlines, there is still plenty of time to get ballots delivered in time for the upcoming election, said Lt. Col. Harry Turasz, U.S. Army Europe voting assistance officer.
"If overseas voters have not received their ballots yet, they should expect them any day soon. If not, they should go see their voting assistance officers to fill out a form for a provisional ballot," Turasz said. "If they should receive their ballots from their county election office in the next several days, all the (Army Post Offices in Europe) are providing free express mail delivery starting Oct. 29 through Nov. 4, in order to get the ballots back to county election commissions by state deadlines."
As Election Day draws near and the rush to the post office grows, voters also have the opportunity to track their votes at no cost with help from their APO, said Bill Hilsher, USAREUR postal program manager.
"This is the first year the Military Postal Service Agency is offering 'intelligent bar code' mail tracking," said Hilsher. "All (customers) need to do, if they want the intelligent mail bar code, is present their ballot at an APO. A postal clerk will affix an intelligent mail bar code to their ballot and give them a card with information explaining how to go online and track their vote."
For more information on absentee ballot voting see your unit or community voting assistance officer or visit the Federal Voting Assistance Program Web site at www.fvap.gov.
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