OnWatch is a quarterly newsletter of the Fleet Reserve Association

April 1 2018
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Absentee Voting Survey
FRA has long been involved in ensuring that service members are able to exercise their right to vote. In 2008, FRA testified before Congress and proposed the need to streamline overseas and absentee voting processes for military personnel.  As a direct result, the 2009 Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment (MOVE) Act was enacted. MOVE greatly improved the ability of Americans living outside of their legal state of residence to vote by absentee ballot in order to have their votes counted.  

The Midyear elections may not be until November but discussions and debate about the potential impact cannot be understated. This year 33 Senators, 36 governors and all 435 members of the House of Representatives will be up for election. To help aid currently serving, Active Duty or Guard/Reserve, the research team at Syracuse University’s Institute for Veterans and Military Families has partnered with the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) Military Family Initiative to conduct a nonpartisan study about the perceptions, challenges, and barriers associated with voting and absentee voting. 

The survey can take about 30 minutes and you may stop and continue this survey at any time. We recommend that you complete the survey on a computer, rather than a mobile device or telephone. By participating, your input will help identify barriers and challenges that will help form recommendations to improve voting outcomes and advance policies, programs and services for military family members. To participate, you can visit their website.

For recently joined servicemembers out of their home state for their first election, it is very important to register to vote by absentee ballot. You must complete a new Federal Post Card Application (FPCA). Even if you have voted by absentee ballot in the past, you must complete a new FPCA. The FPCA is accepted by all local election officials in all U.S. states and territories.  It allows you to register to vote and request absentee ballots for all regular, primary, run-off and special federal elections during the year in which it is submitted.

You can complete the FPCA online .  The online voting assistant will ask questions specific to your state.  It will tell you if your state allows the FPCA to be returned electronically or if you must submit a paper copy with an original signature. Deadlines are very important and you cannot wait until November to start the process.

FRA will continue to stay up to date on all the latest information and potential changes that affect our members and their access to voting rights. 

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ABOUT ONWATCH

OnWatch is a quarterly news update for active duty and Reserve personnel, written by Brian Condon. He served four years on Active Duty in the Marine Corps. Condon began his career with the Fleet Reserve Association (FRA), as Assistant Director of Veterans Programs on October 2015.  He is committed to FRA's mission to maintain and improve the quality of life for Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard personnel and their families. You can reach Brian directly on any of FRA's advocacy issues at BrianC@fra.org