Submitted by: MCAGCC
Story Identification #: 2004823221149
Story by Lance Cpl. Heidi E. Loredo

MARINE CORPS AIR GROUND COMBAT CENTER TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. (Aug. 20, 2004) -- The pressure is on for military members and their spouses to submit absentee ballot requests before the deadline for the 2004 presidential election on Nov. 2.

Unit voting assisting officers want to ensure that Marines, Sailors and family members are aware of the armed forces absentee voting registration process.

In the 2000 election, 69 percent of all U.S. armed services personnel voted. However, only 68 percent of the Navy and 62 percent of the Marine Corps voted, both below average.

"It seems we're being urged to vote more during this election because in the past the military has not come up to the plate," said Lt. Cmdr. Candace Cornett, voting assisting officer, Robert E. Bush Naval Hospital, here. "It's very important that our voice is heard. We are the ones out there fighting for our country, and we need to let people know who we think should be in office. It's our privilege. We need to encourage our members to take part in the democratic process."

Everyone who falls under the Status of Forces Agreement can vote with an absentee ballot, which must be submitted each year when a person has an address change.

"To register to vote and request an absentee ballot a voter must submit a single federal postcard application," said Cornett. "The voter must then mail his application to his state of residence. The voter can log onto the Federal Voting Assistance Program Web site at http://www.fvap.gov to find out about his state's voting laws."

The deadline is Sept. 15 although Cornett suggests mailing it in earlier. Once the request is mailed, the voter will receive a ballot in the mail. Officials are faced with the problem of disposed absentee ballots because military voters often send them in too late.

When the ballot is filled out, the voter should send it to their state's election officials immediately. The deadline for election officials to receive the ballots is different for each state and individuals can find out their states' deadlines at the Federal Voting Assistance Program Web site.

"What officials suggest is to mail the ballot immediately," said Cornett. "Don't sit there and hold on to it until Nov. 11. The goal for the states are to get the ballots to the voters as soon as possibly so they can mail them in at least a week before Nov. 11."

According to the voting assistance Web site, a voter's legal voting residence can be the state or territory where he or she last resided prior to entering military service or the state or territory they claimed as their legal residence. To claim a new legal residence voters must have simultaneous physical presence and the intent to return to that location as their primary residence. Military and family members may change their legal residence every time they change permanent duty stations or they may retain their legal residence without change. Family members may have a different legal voting residence from the member. 

Armed Forces Voters Week will take place Sept. 1 to 7. During this week, local events will be held to inform the public of the importance of voting and of the upcoming elections.

For more information concerning voting and absentee voting, call the voting information center, 1-800-438-VOTE or contact a voting assistance officer.