Absentee Ballot Request for US-based and Overseas Voters Abroad, Election Dates / Deadlines, and How to Vote in your State

For many absentee / vote-by-mail voters waiting for their ballot to arrive, it's usually mid-October when the alarm goes off. “Where's my ballot?” is question number one. If you are one of those voters, here's what to do!

First - check to see if your state offers ballot tracking. Many states now have ballot tracking tools for voters to check the status of their ballot. These are excellent services that allow you to see that your ballot is sent to you, received, and counted.

Continue reading for additional steps and links to services that will help you to find your absentee ballot.

Ever wonder what those long-winded, confusing questions are at the end of your ballot? How were they formed, and how did they actually get to be on the ballot?

These questions are called "ballot measures:. They may also referred to as initiatives or referendums, and they are a mechanism that allows for citizens to weigh in and decide policy issues. Ballot measures typically deal with policies that affect our daily lives. Before you head out to your polling place this year, or return your mail-in ballot, be sure to review your sample ballot to be aware of any ballot measures ahead of time.

Our first "Election Reading List" book review examines James David Barber's book, The Presidential Character: Predicting Performance in the White House. Barber's question in the book is, "What qualities should we look for in a President?" Barber's answer is simple: character, presidential style, and worldview.

Barber outlines the four types of Presidential character by which voters can evaluate candidates.