Overseas Vote Foundation Better than Ever
The best resource for America’s overseas voters just got better.
On October 25, the Overseas Vote Foundation officially launched its new site. Government Computer News wrote about the revamped site and the Army Times also covered the launch.
This visually stunning and supremely user friendly site is a one-stop shop for Americans abroad, both military and civilian, to register to vote, find their election officials and get answers to frequently asked questions. What’s more, OVF provides links to nonpartisan, independent organizations that provide information about the candidates and the issues, e.g. Project Vote Smart, the trusted and invaluable source of information about candidates and elected officials, including: biographical information, issue positions, voting records, campaign finances and interest group ratings.
The site also contains a new State-specific Voter Information Directory that gives:
- state-by-state filing deadlines
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options for how to send and receive voting information
- state-level election official contact information
Young voters, 18-30, living outside the U.S. can join the Youth Vote Overseas (”YVO”) – Facebook Group. According to OVF, “YVO is a place for young voters abroad to exchange information, ideas and links about U.S. elections.”
As always, OVF’s site does not store confidential personal information.
OVF’s cutting-edge resources dedicated to overseas voter registration are changing the focus of the debate on voting from abroad. Until now, we were talking about overcoming the bureaucratic hurdles and pitfalls of the old, paper-based registration and absentee ballot request process. Today we can start focusing on increasing voter turn-out among Americans abroad, and in turn help to inform and shape the debate in Washington.
If an American living overseas wishes to vote in a U.S. election, chances are his or her vote would not be counted. In fact, less than 30 percent of overseas Americans who requested an absentee ballot in 2006 actually received one.
I introduced a bill yesterday that would eliminate overseas voting barriers such as the requirement that voters notarize the envelope with their ballot. The Overseas Voting Education and Reform, Safeguarding Every American’s (OVERSEAS) Vote Act (H.R. 4173) would also expand significantly education and outreach to the 6 million or so Americans living outside the United States.
Voting is a sacred right that should be available to all American citizens. If there isn’t adequate infrastructure to reach out to and educate overseas citizens, let’s build one. If people don’t know their rights, or get lost in this complicated process, let’s help them.
For more information, please visit: http://www.house.gov/list/press/ca15_honda/overseas_vote.html.
Fantastic news.
Allowing the ballot to be sent by e-mail would help. I receive my ballot but always too late to allow me to vote, thanks Philippine Post.