Voting while on long cruise?

[dchip]

Had the same problem with our primary this past June. Their (rather slight) interest in getting me a ballot stopped altogether when I asked for a Republican ballot. I contacted the Cal Republican Party who intervened for me.

 

If you're registered with a party in California, you might be more successful contacting them.

 

I feel your pain but perhaps the Secretary of State official was being honest with you. State election laws rule the day.

Reading this thread I get the feeling that public officials from various states tell people what they want to hear. They suggest calling or visiting another entity, in essence they are passing you off to someone else.

 

Thanks to both of you! It was one particular party that was signing up voters at a concert last night that suggested contacting the Secretary of State.

 

Sammiedawg, my husband said exactly the same thing. "Finally someone told you the truth." The ballots don't come out until 10-8 and that's that. :rolleyes:

 

I'm now going to think about packing and quit trying to figure out how to vote when I can't. :D

 

Cheers, Denise

[sammiedawg]

Thanks to both of you! It was one particular party that was signing up voters at a concert last night that suggested contacting the Secretary of State.

 

Sammiedawg, my husband said exactly the same thing. "Finally someone told you the truth." The ballots don't come out until 10-8 and that's that. :rolleyes:

 

I'm now going to think about packing and quit trying to figure out how to vote when I can't. :D

 

Cheers, Denise

 

Hi Denise,

Not sure if this makes you feel better but I learned a lot from this thread. For no particular reason we have never traveled the week of a presidential election. I'll add that week to my "no travel" calendar which is getting pretty full for mostly happy reasons. Weddings, graduations, holidays, family birthdays, football playoffs and presidential elections!

I live in a swing state, actually in a pivotal county. Four years ago I received lots of live "robo" calls from one candidate. Four years ago Quinnipiac surveyed me at different times in the election season. This year the Gallup people are calling and I was a little irritated. Both political parties are calling. You reminded me to treasure my right to vote and if they call again I will do my best to answer their questions.

 

Enjoy your vacation!

[dchip]

Hi Denise,

Not sure if this makes you feel better but I learned a lot from this thread. For no particular reason we have never traveled the week of a presidential election. I'll add that week to my "no travel" calendar which is getting pretty full for mostly happy reasons. Weddings, graduations, holidays, family birthdays, football playoffs and presidential elections!

I live in a swing state, actually in a pivotal county. Four years ago I received lots of live "robo" calls from one candidate. Four years ago Quinnipiac surveyed me at different times in the election season. This year the Gallup people are calling and I was a little irritated. Both political parties are calling. You reminded me to treasure my right to vote and if they call again I will do my best to answer their questions.

 

Enjoy your vacation!

 

Thank you so very much! I was naïve in thinking we could just get an absentee ballot. I, also, have learned a lot. I don't live in a swing state but have voted in every election I have been eligible for. It's important to view our votes as priceless. This is just going to be very weird.

 

We will enjoy! 48 days in the South Pacific for our 50th anniversary. :D

 

Cheers, Denise

[Sonora5]

For those who feel that their vote does not count unless they are in a swing state, remember that there are many down ballot races where your vote has much more sway. This seems to be a lovely group of people who want to be informed. Take a minute or two to find out about those "other" races.

 

Remember, as the great Tip O'Neil said, all politics is local.

[gramdragon]

There is a way to vote if you do not receive your absentee ballot in time. It is called the "Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot" or FWAB. It is available on line to be filled in and printed out. Depending on the state, it can be mailed, faxed, or emailed to your registrar. California requires that they be mailed or faxed back. The guidelines for each state are available at the FVAP website: https://www.fvap.gov/

 

More information is available at FAWCO Overseas Voter Services: https://fawco.overseasvotefoundation.org/vote/home.htm

 

The form should be filled out and sent in if you have not received your absentee ballot by 30 days prior to the election or October 8. If you receive your official absentee ballot after you have submitted the FWAB, you should submit it as well. They will only count the FWAB if they do not receive your official absentee ballot by the state's deadline. If they receive both in time, they will count the official absentee ballot.

 

If you have questions, call the Federal Voting Assistance Program at 1-800-438-8683 between 7:30 AM and 4:00 PM East Coast time M-F.

 

Good luck! We are entitled to vote and we should all vote.

[dchip]

Thank you!

 

Cheers, Denise

[utahtea]

I have had the same experience as RM Lincoln. The first forms we got are not acceptable. I have been to the district board of elections, my congressional office and today I called the Secretary of State of California.

 

The person who handled my call said "it's your problem if you choose to be out of the country and not be here to vote. We can't circumvent the law for you. Tough". I kid you not. I don't know where to go from here. Apparently in California the earliest we can get ballots is October 8. I am beside myself.

 

Denise

 

When I called the Secretary of State of California, I talked to a very nice and understanding lady but she said it was up to what my county allowed and there really wasn't anything they could do to help me.

 

I've drafted an email to my elected representatives and will send it out first thing Monday morning. I don't know if it will do any good or not, but I haven't given up yet.

 

I've also been trying to find an address for the port authority for Sydney, Melbourne and Hobart since these are the three ports that will work time wise for having the ballots mailed to me and give me enough time to mail it back. Holland America didn't have addresses but gave me two email addresses but I haven't heard back from those emails.

 

Utahtea

[utahtea]

Had the same problem with our primary this past June. Their (rather slight) interest in getting me a ballot stopped altogether when I asked for a Republican ballot. I contacted the Cal Republican Party who intervened for me.

 

If you're registered with a party in California, you might be more successful contacting them.

 

Thanks for the idea!

 

Utahtea

[utahtea]

There is a way to vote if you do not receive your absentee ballot in time. It is called the "Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot" or FWAB. It is available on line to be filled in and printed out. Depending on the state, it can be mailed, faxed, or emailed to your registrar. California requires that they be mailed or faxed back. The guidelines for each state are available at the FVAP website: https://www.fvap.gov/

 

More information is available at FAWCO Overseas Voter Services: https://fawco.overseasvotefoundation.org/vote/home.htm

 

The form should be filled out and sent in if you have not received your absentee ballot by 30 days prior to the election or October 8. If you receive your official absentee ballot after you have submitted the FWAB, you should submit it as well. They will only count the FWAB if they do not receive your official absentee ballot by the state's deadline. If they receive both in time, they will count the official absentee ballot.

 

If you have questions, call the Federal Voting Assistance Program at 1-800-438-8683 between 7:30 AM and 4:00 PM East Coast time M-F.

 

Good luck! We are entitled to vote and we should all vote.

 

I've been down this road. It's my understanding to receive the "Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot" you first have to register on FVAP.

 

To register I have to state that I have a residences overseas, which everyone I've talked to for my county says "traveling" even thought it's 45 days, I'm not qualified to register this way. As much as I want to vote, I don't want to purger myself and that's what I've been told I would be doing. I've called FVAP too....and I get the same response.

 

Utahtea

Edited September 11, 2016 by utahtea

[gramdragon]

I've been down this road. It's my understanding to receive the "Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot" you first have to register on FVAP.

 

To register I have to state that I have a residences overseas, which everyone I've talked to for my county says "traveling" even thought it's 45 days, I'm not qualified to register this way. As much as I want to vote, I don't want to purger myself and that's what I've been told I would be doing. I've called FVAP too....and I get the same response.

 

Utahtea

 

I understand your concerns. I am permanently registered absentee voter and have been for many years. It is allowed in California and you do not have to be absent from your voting district to be an absentee voter. It makes it much easier to request the FWAB.

 

Perhaps some day, they will indeed make it easier for all to vote.

 

Regards,

Jacque

[Host Walt]

I've been down this road. It's my understanding to receive the "Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot" you first have to register on FVAP.

 

To register I have to state that I have a residences overseas, which everyone I've talked to for my county says "traveling" even thought it's 45 days, I'm not qualified to register this way. As much as I want to vote, I don't want to purger myself and that's what I've been told I would be doing. I've called FVAP too....and I get the same response.

 

Utahtea

 

Looks like Utahtea has made the critical point.

 

Here's a link https://fawco.overseasvotefoundation.org/vote/home.htm

 

Read the registration form carefully. It requires a foreign residence address so that the ballot can be mailed to you.

[utahtea]

Had the same problem with our primary this past June. Their (rather slight) interest in getting me a ballot stopped altogether when I asked for a Republican ballot. I contacted the Cal Republican Party who intervened for me.

 

If you're registered with a party in California, you might be more successful contacting them.

 

I tried this morning and they said they couldn't do anything for me that I needed to call my county registrar of voters! I then called my local elected representative's office and while the person I talked to didn't really hold out much hope at first decided he wanted to look into it for me and make some calls.

 

I do have a favor, if there is someone who lives in California and their county allowed them to register for overseas voting, could you please let me know what county that was. That information would help.

 

Utahtea

[gramdragon]

It really is up to your local election officials (registrars) whether they will help you or hinder your right to vote. I am very fortunate that my registrar was extremely helpful and will email me my ballot so that I can vote. I had to ask more than once, but they found a way to help me because they wanted to. I wish they were all like that.

[gramdragon]

I tried this morning and they said they couldn't do anything for me that I needed to call my county registrar of voters! I then called my local elected representative's office and while the person I talked to didn't really hold out much hope at first decided he wanted to look into it for me and make some calls.

 

I do have a favor, if there is someone who lives in California and their county allowed them to register for overseas voting, could you please let me know what county that was. That information would help.

 

Utahtea

 

I live in California in Riverside County. Just to be clear, I have not registered for overseas voting. I am permanently registered as an absentee voter, which is very easy to do in California and it is not too late to do that. My absentee voter registration has my email address on it. I contacted my registrar and asked them to email my ballot since I would be traveling and may not be able to pick it up by mail. After a couple of calls, they agreed to email the ballot to me. My file is flagged to email the ballot. I have double checked that. If all goes well, I should receive my emailed ballot in time to fill it out and return it by mail (my county in California does not allow email return - just fax or postal mail) while we are still in Hawaii.

 

If for some reason, I do not receive my ballot by email, then I will use the FWAB form. The FWAB does not require an overseas address to mail the ballot to since the form is the ballot. You just have to mail the form/ballot back to the registrar. I can in good conscience fill out and sign the affirmation.

Edited September 12, 2016 by gramdragon

[utahtea]

I live in California in Riverside County. Just to be clear, I have not registered for overseas voting. I am permanently registered as an absentee voter, which is very easy to do in California and it is not too late to do that. My absentee voter registration has my email address on it. I contacted my registrar and asked them to email my ballot since I would be traveling and may not be able to pick it up by mail. After a couple of calls, they agreed to email the ballot to me. My file is flagged to email the ballot. I have double checked that. If all goes well, I should receive my emailed ballot in time to fill it out and return it by mail (my county in California does not allow email return - just fax or postal mail) while we are still in Hawaii.

 

If for some reason, I do not receive my ballot by email, then I will use the FWAB form. The FWAB does not require an overseas address to mail the ballot to since the form is the ballot. You just have to mail the form/ballot back to the registrar. I can in good conscience fill out and sign the affirmation.

 

I am already registered to vote absentee but emailing is not an option unless you're registered to vote overseas. I have talked to my county registrar of voters 4 times in the last 3 months. I've asked to have it emailed and they said NO it can't be done. But now I have a name of a California County that will do it and that might help my case!

 

Thank you!

 

Utahtea