Job Discussion Forums

[Truman]

How many of you cast ballots for elections in your native countries ?

If so, how is it done? Do you go to your embassy? Is it a done by mail?

[johnslat]

Dear Truman,
I always voted while abroad. I'm from the USA and here is some info about the rules there:

Assistance In Voting in U.S. Elections

Americans who reside abroad are usually eligible to vote by absentee ballot in all Federal elections and may also be eligible to vote in many state and local U.S. elections. Eligibility depends upon the laws and regulations of your state of residence in the United States. To vote absentee, you must meet state voter registration requirements and apply for the ballot as early as possible from the state of your last domicile. Should your state ballot not arrive in sufficient time, you may be eligible to use a Federal write-in ballot known as a F.W.A.B. You should consult the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate for additional information.

See this site, also:

http://www.fvap.gov/

sites for all the states:

http://www.fvap.gov/links/statelinks.html

Regards,
John

[denise]

Yep. I vote by absentee ballot.

d

[Truman]

I guess besides being interested in how it is done, I'm interested to know if Westerners who live abroad have a tendency to vote, or are they tend not to bother and if they don't bother, why?

[Bindair Dundat]

Yup, I vote. By mail. I didn't used to because I didn't know I could. I think it was on Dave's about three years ago that somebody tipped me off to the fact that I could, and I've been voting ever since. I vote in every single municipal bond issue, voter initiative, and dog-catcher election that comes down the pike in my district. Why?

Because I can.

BD

P.S. I also write my congressmen and -women a couple of times a year, or whenever I get good and pi**ed off about something.

[ntropy]

Vote every single time I can. I say "can" because it's not always possible. When I lived in Japan I got in a very nasty fight over not being able to vote. Legally, I was entitled, there "was just no process" allowing me to do so. This despite the fact that Foreign Office and military members from my country were given this "process." As my government still insisted on taxing my world income, I tried to start a "taxation without representation" issue, but did not get very far. I'm still bitter.

[spiral78]

I vote.

Additionally, I've got a day arranged in the summer when I'll lead a group of other US expats in the city to our Embassy so that they can get forms to register. I hope this will help sort of focus people a little more on the US election and it's importance - it's all too easy to sort of let it slide when you are caught up in your own life, particularly if you're in a new place.

Afterwards, we'll have a beer or two. Our form of a (gulp) political party?

[mjed9]

I voted in the last election (UK) but I don't think I will vote again as I feel somewhat disillusioned by the whole setup.

Government is the shadow cast by business over society � John Dewey

[zaneth]

Hmm. Last election was the first one I voted in (though not the first I was entitled to vote in). I voted for Gore (Gore? Who's that?) and look how that turned out. Rather disillusioned. Also don't know if the absentee ballots have ever shifted things either direction. It seems like it was always a sort of joke in election coverage: "Well, of course the absentee ballots still need to be counted."

I used to have a button that said "If voting worked it would be illegal." I've gone back and forth over the years on whether it is true or defeatist. Howard Zinn's pretty hard on the electoral process.

Might be a good idea to start voting in local elections for things like school funding measures, etc. Or I could vote communist. Ha ha. Who's running for dog catcher on the communist ticket I wonder?

[Guest]

In the nine months I have been here, I have not even given voting a second thought - until now that is! I do not know how I would go about it from here and I also do not know if I will receive a fine for not voting in Australia. Maybe Teacher Lindsay knows the answer?

[Gordon]

Any Canadians know about the process of voting overseas? We have a national election on June 28th. I'd like to vote if it is possible.

[The Great Wall of Whiner]

[Gordon]

[stillnosheep]

[mjed9]

I would still understand if you omitted those words, clever clogs!!!!

How's Blair's popularity at a street level going?