Voting from abroad

[róisín_dubh]

So I live abroad, in the UK. About a month ago, I went on the FVAP website and registered to vote absentee as a US citizen residing abroad. Within a day or two (might've been a little longer), I had all the paperwork I needed, but then I sort of forgot about voting. Despite the 10,000 emails I get from Val Demings, US politics hasn't been on my mind all that much (sorry but we've had 3 PMs in like six months over here in Ol' Blighty). Anyway, Monday I submitted my ballot request to the WV Secretary of State. I had my ballot the very next morning and, get this: I can email it, fill it out online, etc.
Why, may I ask, can't voting be this simple for everyone? I know there are risks involved, but we have very smart tech people in America and I don't understand why no one has figured out a system for this.

[elleng]

1. It CAN be and SHOULD be,

and was pretty much that way for me in MD; asked for a mail ballot, received it, and mailed it.

THANKS for voting!

[LeftInTX]

2. We're you able to vote in state/local races or just federal races via electronic submission?

[iwillalwayswonderwhy]

3. I voted in the Florida Election from the U.K.

I voted in late September and had the complete ballot right down to the mosquito control board.

I verified that my ballot had been both received and counted.

[LeftInTX]

6. Were you able to submit the ballot via email or fax?

Federal law allows for electronic submission, but only for federal offices. States probably could vary, but I assume Florida is like Texas and requires state/local elections to be submitted via snail mail.

[iwillalwayswonderwhy]

11. Fax

I was able to fax it. Earlier in the year I got a new form that wanted a current signature since my signature on file was 20+ years old. I had to mail that in.

[LeftInTX]

12. That's good. In Texas, only federal ballot can be sent electronically

[BlueMTexpat]

4. In my case, I maintain

a residence in MD and pay state as well as federal taxes in addition to having a residence permit abroad - AND paying taxes in my European residence. It's not quite double taxation because I get a waiver here for income I pay taxes on in the US and an offset on US taxes for income I receive here. What I am primarily taxed on here is "wealth" (value of real estate and balances of all bank and non-IRA stock accounts as of 31 Dec of each year). I truly believe that a similar wealth tax should be enacted in the US. Too many of the very rich pay nothing when they should. Anyhoo ....

Because I pay taxes in my current home state (MD), I have a vested interest there and a choice between the regular MD absentee ballot and the Global Ballot!

The Global Ballot only allows me to vote for candidates for federal office. So I always register for the regular absentee ballot. In that case, I am able to vote for Governor and other state and local offices, which I consider to be every bit as important. With help from the internet and family and friends in MD, I am able to research the issues and candidates on the ballot.

But MD requires that all absentee ballots be printed out and returned via snail mail, so I cannot email my completed ballot. I did all that in October and have since received information from the MD BOE that my completed absentee ballot was received - despite Louis DeJoy - and will be counted.

For anyone who is interested, here is general information about voting from abroad: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/while-abroad/voting.html

[LeftInTX]

5. That's kinda what I thought

My sister lives in Qatar. I also dabble with election stuff here and looked into the overseas ballot thing. I think the electronic submission is pretty much for federal offices only.

[BlueMTexpat]

10. And it only works for

certain states ... but it does make voting for federal offices much easier for all.

We US expats owe a LOT to the late Andy Sundberg, whom I had the pleasure of meeting here in Switzerland. He was one of the founders of American Citizens Abroad, which advocates for voting rights for all eligible overseas Americans, whether military or civilian.

See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_Sundberg

And also https://www.americansabroad.org/advocacy/campaigns/voting-rights/

Andy was also a great Democrat. If anyone deserves to RIP, he does!

[róisín_dubh]

13. All races.

Super easy, surprisingly. I’ll likely switch my voter reg to PA at some point, but for now it’s WV.

[DFW]

7. Dallas, Texas has been very good about sending me my absentee ballots weeks in advance

I have been voting that way (from Germany) for many years. I usually send them back within 48 hours of receiving them.

[fierywoman]

8. All of Washington State votes by mail -- it's very civilized!

[GoneOffShore]

9. We voted with the FWAB from France, and our votes were received by the Phila BOE

About a week after we mailed them.

Democrats Abroad is working on GOTV efforts. Very strong organization here in France.

[Wounded Bear]

14. There are ATMs on every street corner that are 99.99999% accurate...

handling people's money. They function more or less world wide. The idea that we can't get secure electronic voting is rather astounding to me.

I'm not talking about voting on our cell phones, of course. But it seems that voting technology has been rooted in the 90's or something.

[róisín_dubh]

15. Huh, I never even thought about that...

but you're absolutely right.