Mon., June 15, 11am-12pm

Online Discussion via Zoom 

www.democratsabroad.org/mx-sma_events

Zooming for Your Ballot!

By Hope Bradberry

It is time to get registered to vote or request your ballot to be delivered to your inbox via email. Democrats Abroad San Miguel de Allende is ready to help you accomplish this via Zoom. U.S. federal law guarantees the right of citizens living outside the U.S. to vote in federal elections (President, U.S. Senate, and U.S. House of Representatives). We want you to exercise that right.

“We know members of our community are staying home and staying safe, but we wanted to find a way to virtually come into their home and help them be ready to vote in November,” said Barbara Erickson, GOTV Chair, Democrats Abroad San Miguel de Allende Chapter. So join us online as we walk through the steps to fill out your Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) and submit it to your local election official through the website Vote From Abroad (VFA) www.votefromabroad.org.

If you are not registered, a common question is, “Where do I register if I have not voted in many years or am not registered to vote?” You will register using the last place you lived in the U.S., regardless of who now owns it, whether you were registered to vote before you left, or whether you intend to return to that residence. 

In addition to registering, it is important for all voters to request their ballot every year. The only states that require you to mail in this request are Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island. If you don’t have access to a printer, we can get a form to you. And good news for Texas voters—you can now request your ballot via email through VFA. 

We cannot emphasize enough that all voters should request their ballots be delivered to them via email, even if they use a local mail service. The number one reason overseas absentee votes are not counted is that they arrive late. By having your ballot delivered to your email inbox, it should arrive 45 days before the election, giving you sufficient time to vote and get it back in time.

We also have a great team of volunteers that can connect with you on the phone and walk you through the process if you need additional help. As Lea Rege advises, “Do not become overwhelmed when you upload your signature. It is really quite easy!” Though we can’t see you in person, we can still connect! Please email us to RSVP at DemsAbroadSMA@gmail.com! 

To join Democrats Abroad, go to www.democratsabroad.org/join.