Public Services

Absentee Voting

Voting Assistance Officer:

Neal Turner
Vice Consul
U.S. Embassy
Vientiane, Laos
Tel. +856-21-267-212
Email: TurnerNW@state.gov
Website: http://laos.usembassy.gov

Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) website: http://www.fvap.gov/
Attention all US Citizens Residing Overseas and Members of the Uniformed Services on Active Duty! Please review the following helpful hints. These suggestions will help simplify the absentee voting process and eliminate many possible reasons for disenfranchisement.

Voter Registration

Unregistered absentee voters should request their ballots at least 60 days before the election and registered voters at least 45 days before the election. Remember, voter registration can be affected or cancelled for several reasons: not voting for a period of time, changed residence since the last registration or election, or changed name since the last registration or election.

* Voting Assistance Guide online (2008-2009): http://www.fvap.gov/pubs/vag.html

You will first send in the “REGISTRATION AND ABSENTEE BALLOT REQUEST - FEDERAL POST CARD APPLICATION (FPCA)” and then receive you ballot. You could also use the “Back-up Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB)”

To download and save the forms:

-- FPCA (2005) online version: http://www.fvap.gov/pubs/onlinefpca.pdf
-- Return Envelope printable version: http://www.fvap.gov/pubs/returnenvelope.pdf
-- Federal Write in Ballot: http://www.fvap.gov/pubs/ofwab.pdf

Legal Voting Residence

Your legal voting residence address (Block 3 of the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA, SF-76) helps determine the type of ballot a local election official sends to you. So, even if the home has been sold, rented or is no longer there because the site has been redeveloped, that address continues to be your legal voting residence for voting purposes as long as you continue claiming that state as your legal residence.

Determining a voting residence is a concern to many. Some citizens do not know where they should be voting and what state they should claim as their home of legal voting residence. If you have questions determining your state of legal residence for voting purposes, you should consult with your legal counsel.

* VOTING BY CITIZENS WHO NEVER LIVED IN THE UNITED STATES:
http://www.fvap.gov/vao/citnvrinus.html 

Notarizing Voting Materials

Always check your state instructions (Chapter 3 of the current Voting Assistance Guide) to determine whether your state requires a witness or notary on the FPCA, FWAB and/or the ballot return envelope. Military personnel, including noncommissioned officers, who are designated as VAOs are authorized, in accordance with Department of Defense (DoD) Directive 1000.4 of April 14, 2004, to administer oaths (notary services) in connection with voter registration and voting to members of the military and their eligible dependants.

However, they may not act as a notary for DoD or other U.S. government civilian personnel or non-governmental civilians unless able to do so in another capacity. United States citizens overseas are afforded full voting assistance at all U.S. Embassies and Consulates. Embassy/Consulate VAOs will provide notary services for voting materials free of charge.

Postage for Mailing From Overseas

The FPCA and FWAB do not require postage if mailed in the U.S. postal system, including all U.S. military post offices (APO, FPO) overseas as well as diplomatic pouches. Many Embassies and Consulates have access to U.S. military post offices. Those that have access will accept the FPCA and FWAB and give it to the U.S. military post office. The FPCA  and FWAB may also be sent postage-free through the diplomatic pouch at Embassies and Consulates. However, the diplomatic pouch may not have a regular pick-up schedule. If you are mailing election materials from overseas and do not have access to a U.S. Embassy/Consulate or an APO/FPO address, please affix the proper postage necessary to get the materials into the U.S. postal system.

Electronic Transmission

Visit http://www.fvap.gov/ to find out if your state allows electronic transmission of voting materials to expedite processing of your voting materials.  When utilizing the Electronic Transmission Service, please refer to Appendix C of the Voting Assistance Guide for a cover page and additional information. Most states that permit faxing of the voted ballot require the voter to sign a waiver of his or her right to a secret ballot. Use the following numbers when faxing: DSN 223-5527, (703) 693-5527, or 1-800-368-8683. Additional international toll-free fax numbers are listed on the FVAP website.

Status of Your Application

To assist local election officials to notify you of the status of your FPCA, you should provide your phone and email contact information when completing the FPCA. Provide your telephone number with all country prefixes and/or your e-mail address. Provide your fax number and include all international prefixes, country or city codes.

Providing fax, phone and/or email will give the local election official options to contact you for questions, clarifications or to request additional information on your FPCA. If you do not provide clear contact information on the FPCA, it may be difficult for your local election official to notify you of any problems with your application or request.

For voters who want to know if their application has been denied, your state is required by law to notify you and explain why it was denied. If you suspect that there is a problem with your application or absentee ballot request, contact your local election official.

* THE FVAP CAN BE CONTACTED THROUGH THE FOLLOWING AVENUES:

- The FVAP can be contacted through the DOD Voting Information Center (VIC). The VIC  provides recorded messages from candidates, as well as other information concerning  elections, 24 hours a day:
 http://www.fvap.gov/services/vic.html

 - Citizens may reach the VIC toll-free from 67 countries using the toll-free numbers listed on the FVAP website at:
 http://www.fvap.gov/services/tollfree.html

 - The FVAP can be contacted from the United States, Canada, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands with any questions via our toll-free telephone service at: 1-800-438-8683

 - Questions regarding the above may also be referred to the Director, Federal Voting  Assistance Program, Department of Defense, 1155 Defense Pentagon, email: vote@fvap.ncr.gov and at www.fvap.gov.