Message For U.s. Citizens: Voting In The 2016 U.s. Elections

[jamesmusslewhite]

 U.S. Embassy, Manila, Philippines

Message for U.S. Citizens:  Voting in the 2016 U.S. Elections

 January 29, 2016

THE EMBASSY OF THE UNITED STATES IS TRANSMITTING THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION AS A PUBLIC SERVICE TO AMERICAN CITIZENS IN THE PHILIPPINES. PLEASE DISSEMINATE THIS MESSAGE TO ALL U.S. CITIZENS IN YOUR ORGANIZATION OR NEIGHBORHOOD. THANK YOU.   

Your vote counts!  Did you know that many U.S. elections for house and senate have been decided by a margin smaller than the number of ballots cast by absentee voters? All states are required to count every absentee ballot as long as it is valid and reaches local election officials by the absentee ballot receipt deadline. 

 

Follow a few simple steps to make sure that you can vote in the 2016 U.S. elections:

 

1.     Request Your Ballot:  Complete a new Federal Post Card Application (FPCA).   You must complete a new FPCA after January 1, 2016 to ensure you receive your ballot for the 2016 elections.  The completion of the FPCA allows you to request absentee ballots for all elections for federal offices (President, U.S. Senate, and U.S. House of Representatives) including primaries and special elections during the calendar year in which it is submitted. The FPCA is accepted by all local election officials in all U.S. states and territories. 

 

You can complete the FPCA online at FVAP.gov.  The online voting assistant will ask you questions specific to your state.   We encourage you to ask your local election officials to deliver your blank ballots to you electronically (by email, internet download, or fax, depending on your state).  Include your email address on your FPCA to take advantage of the electronic ballot delivery option.  Return the FPCA per the instructions on the website.  FVAP.gov will tell you if your state allows the FPCA to be returned electronically or if you must submit a paper copy with original signature.  If you must return a paper version, please see below for mailing options.

 

2.     Receive and Complete Your Ballot:   States are required to send out ballots 45 days before a regular election for federal office and states generally send out ballots at least 30 days before primary elections.  For most states, you can confirm your registration and ballot delivery online.

 

3.     Return Your Completed Ballot:  Some states allow you to return your completed ballot electronically and others do not.  If your state requires you to return paper voting forms or ballots to local election officials, you can do so free of charge at the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate.  Place your ballots in postage paid return envelopes or in envelopes bearing sufficient domestic U.S. postage, and address them to the relevant local election officials. 

 

To submit voting materials at the U.S. Embassy Manila, please bring your forms or ballots in the postage-paid mailing envelope that was included with your ballot.  Please ensure that the envelope is properly addressed to your local election office.  You may place your ballot envelope in the specially designated Election 2016 Voting box, located at the consular access gate.  You may also bring your ballots to the ACS section, Window 1 if you have additional questions. The Consular Section is open between the hours of 7:30 am and 4:30 pm on Monday through Friday, except US and Philippine holidays. Embassy closures are posted on our website. The ballots will be sent to the United States via US diplomatic pouch at no cost.  Normal pouch delivery to the United States is approximately one week.    

 

If it’s more convenient for you, you can also return your FPCA or ballot to your local election officials via international mail or professional courier service at your own expense. 

 

Researching the Candidates and Issues:  Online Resources.  Check out the FVAP links page for helpful resources that will aid your research of candidates and issues.  Non-partisan information about candidates, their voting records, and their positions on issues are widely available and easy to obtain on-line.  You can also read national and hometown newspapers on-line, or search the internet to locate articles and information.  For information about election dates and deadlines, subscribe to FVAP's Voting Alerts (vote@fvap.gov).  FVAP also shares Voting Alerts via Facebookand Twitter.

 

Learn more at the Federal Voting Assistance Program's (FVAP) website, FVAP.gov.  If you have any questions about registering to vote overseas, please contact US Embassy Manila’s Voting Assistance Officer at VoteManila@state.gov or  +63-301-2000 x 2246 or 2567.

 

Remember, your vote counts!

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

See the State Department's travel website for the Worldwide Caution, Travel Warnings, Travel Alerts, and the Philippines Country Specific Information. 

 Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive security messages and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.  

Contact the U.S. Embassy in Manila, Philippines, located at 1201 Roxas Boulevard, at +(63) (2) 301-2000, from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. After-hours emergency number for U.S. citizens is +(63) (2) 301-2000. 

Call 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States and Canada or 1-202-501-4444 from other countries from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays). 

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[Steve & Myrlita]

Learn more at the Federal Voting Assistance Program's (FVAP) website, FVAP.gov. If you have any questions about registering to vote overseas, please contact US Embassy Manila’s Voting Assistance Officer at VoteManila@state.gov or +63-301-2000 x 2246 or 2567.

Everyone please note the phone number is incorrect. It is missing the city code of 2. It should read +632-301-2000.

[JonPalawan]

There is a nonpartisan website to assist in US voter registration.
https://www.votefromabroad.org

 

Here's one for democrats

http://www.democratsabroad.org