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[observer3]

Ok - we should put you in contact with Democrats Abroad. Or the Republicans if you wish, but only after early November :). They would sort you out. Those of us who go to some of these events have heard all about the preservation of the legal right to vote etc.

[expatinuk]

You do have to ask for a ballot EVERY year. It's not enough that you say you're living abroad you have to say that every election.

[testingthewaters]

You do have to ask for a ballot EVERY year. It's not enough that you say you're living abroad you have to say that every election.

Thanks, but I know. Did that- downloaded the forms in August and sent them off to the board of elections in the place in the US I last lived, as per instructions. As I have for the past 3 presidential elections (this is the 4th). I did actually get a ballot once, but apparently I sent my request in too early so they sent me the upcomming election ballot- which was a school board election. Gee, thanks. The other 3 requests simply disappeared into a black hole, despite phone calls and faxes.

I was hopeful that the board of election's entry into the internet age might have helped, but unless my ballot appears in the next 10 days, I guess it has gone to join the others.

[expatinuk]

One of the reasons why it's a good idea to go through the Dems or Reps Abroad site is that they give you the forms... but they also give you a fax. You are supposed to request through the mail... but additionally you fax a request. They cannot send your ballot until they receive the mailed copy... but they acknowledge receipt of the fax and that's an official request... therefore it beats the deadline.

[testingthewaters]

Since my ballot request does seem to have disappeared into a black hole, I wonder if I can request it again? And I wonder if it would actually get here at this point?

I guess I'll ask the Abroad folks and see what they think.

[qrypt]

There is something known as a backup federal write-in absentee ballot, which can be requested here.  Now, if you think your state doesn't count normal absentee ballots, then you might think they certainly won't count these.  But perhaps getting and sending one of these is better than doing nothing. 

[testingthewaters]

Oh for Pete's sake.

My absentee ballot came TODAY.

With instructions that it needs to be postmarked the day before the election.

Of course, I found it when I got home from work at 8PM.

I'm going to mail it anyway and assume that with such incompetence, no one with think to look at the postmark.

And no, I didn't get around to the backup ballot. And yes, I should have done that and feel guilty that I didn't. And yes, I vote in a swing state. Grrrr......

[science_expat]

Can you FAX it? California allows this....

[drspouse]

I faxed one ballot (also CA). I had previously faxed and mailed my voter registration form as it looked like that would be late - and then kept getting two sets of materials, though they seem to have managed to delete the extra me from the register as I only got one set from the UK as well as my US set (since I'm over here this time).

I didn't get my mail ballot as of Friday, though, since I'm down for permanent vote-by-mail, so I called up and asked what to do and they said go and vote in person.  If you call the voter registration people now they will still be in the office and may be able to offer advice on faxing it if that's allowed.