R 171829Z SEP 10
UNCLASSIFIED//
MARADMIN 522/10
MSGID/GENADMIN,USMTF,2007/CMC WASHINGTON DC MRA MR//
SUBJ/ABSENTEE VOTERS WEEK SEPTEMBER 27 - OCTOBER 4 2010//
POC/KENNETH WARFORD/GS-12/UNIT:MRP-4/-/TEL:703-784-9511//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  ON NOVEMBER 2, THE UNITED STATES WILL HOLD A GENERAL ELECTION. ALL MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AND 38 SENATORS WILL BE ELECTED. THERE WILL BE ELECTIONS FOR 39 GOVERNORS, AND SEVERAL STATE AND LOCAL OFFICIALS. THE FAST APPROACHING ELECTION MEANS IT IS TIME FOR ACTION. COMMANDS NEED TO MAKE A STRONG PUSH TOWARDS DISSEMINATING VOTING INFORMATION. INFORMATION SHOULD BE DISSEMINATED TO ALL ELIGIBLE VOTERS.  OUR GOAL IS TO ENCOURAGE 100 PERCENT OF OUR ELIGIBLE VOTERS TO PARTICIPATE. ELIGIBLE VOTERS SHOULD COMPLETE AND MAIL THEIR BALLOTS IN A TIMELY MANNER.  IF A BALLOT IS NOT RECEIVED, MAIL IN A FEDERAL WRITE-IN ABSENTEE BALLOT(FWAB).
2.  ONE OF THE BARRIERS VOTERS ENCOUNTER IS INSUFFICIENT BALLOT TRANSIT TIME.  THEREFORE, FVAP HAS DESIGNATED A WEEK AS "ABSENTEE VOTERS WEEK." FVAP IS THE FEDERAL VOTING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (FVAP).  DURING THIS TIME, IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT ALL VOTERS MAIL THEIR ABSENTEE BALLOTS. IN THE PAST A BALLOT MAILED DURING THIS WEEK, WAS RECEIVED BY THE DEADLINE.
3.  VOTERS THAT HAVE NOT RECEIVED THEIR BALLOT BY SEP 27 CAN USE THE FWAB.  THE FWAB IS AN EMERGENCY BALLOT. THE FWAB IS VALID WHEN A VOTER MAKES A TIMELY REQUEST AND THE BALLOT IS NOT RECEIVED.  ALL FWAB SHOULD BE MAILED DURING ABSENTEE VOTERS WEEK.  IF A REGULAR BALLOT IS RECEIVED AFTER THE FWAB HAS BEEN MAILED, MAIL IT ALSO. GENERALLY, THE STATE WILL COUNT THE BALLOT INSTEAD OF THE FWAB.
4.  FOR ASSISTANCE, CONTACT YOUR UNIT VOTING ASSISTANCE OFFICER (UVAO). THE MARINE CORPS VOTING WEBPAGE, WWW.MANPOWER.USMC.MIL/VOTING IS ALSO AVAILABLE.
5.  VOTE AND MAIL YOUR ABSENTEE BALLOT EARLY.
6.  RELEASE AUTHORIZED BY NF-6 (SES) T. R. LARSEN, DIRECTOR, PERSONAL AND FAMILY READINESS DIVISION.//