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  • "Infrastructurally" Sound?

    A brief look at the changing face of U.S. elections

    By ElectionBabe aka Genya Coulter, Twitter Goddess at U.S. Vote Foundation @us_vote

    On January 7th, 2017, the Department of Homeland Security determined that US election systems (traditionally run by individual states with oversight by the Election Assistance Commission) should be considered to be part of the  “critical infrastructure” of the United States of America. Under this new designation, cybersecurity and compliance standards will be overseen by DHS. However, what does this mean to the average American voter? How will this impact the authority of state election officials? And what exactly is “critical infrastructure” anyway?

    Critical infrastructure simply means public systems that are essential for the operation and survival of a society and economy – The U.S. Interstates, the military, law enforcement, utilities, railroads, sewer systems, and cyber technology would all be considered critical infrastructure. As of January 2017, 16 key sectors have been designated as part of the critical infrastructure of the United States. Source: https://www.dhs.gov/critical-infrastructure-sectors

  • Get Ready to Vote – US Vote’s Quick Tips

    November 8th is less than 2 weeks away. Now’s the time to prepare to vote.

    1. If you’re voting by mail / absentee voting

    2. If you’re voting early

  • Top 15 Absentee Ballot Questions of 2016

    Here are the most commonly asked Domestic and Overseas Absentee Ballot questions from our Voter Help Desk. Have a look and see if your question is answered.

    1. Is there still time to request an absentee ballot?

    • There may still be time to request an absentee ballot.
    • If not, you may be able to vote early; many states offer some form of early voting.
    • Check the Election Dates & Deadlines chart for absentee ballot request deadlines and early voting dates in your state. (Notice the toggle to overseas voter dates!)

    2. Where’s my ballot?

    • If you sent your ballot request form to your election office and confirmed that you are registered, but don't yet have your ballot - it is good to check on its whereabouts as soon as possible.
    • Go to the State Voting Requirements directory: Look up your state and open the "Am I Registered - State Lookup Tools" section. There you will see a "Where's My Ballot" link as well - if your state offers it (they don't all have this).
    • If the "Where's My Ballot" link is unavailable or you do not find your ballot, you will need to look up and call your election office - they manage ballot sending and counting.

  • Top 10 Voter Questions of 2016

    The team at U.S. Vote Foundation and Overseas Vote work round the clock to personally answer voter questions through our Voter Help Desk - and we definitely see patterns in the questions being asked. To save you time....


    Answers to 2016’s top 10 most common voter questions!

    1. Did I miss the deadline?

    Assume nothing! You may still have time to register or request a ballot! Election deadlines vary significantly across the states. And even more so for overseas voters.

  • U.S. Citizens: Start with a Bot and End with a Ballot

    U.S. Vote Foundation's Civic Data API Drives the New GoVoteBot Solution

    The 2016 election season has been unlike any other in more ways than one - and believe it not, some of them are positive! Chief among the positives is the new GoVoteBot from R/GA and the Ad Council. With the aim of increasing voter participation in the Fall 2016 Presidential Elections, the two innovative firms teamed up to bring forward a solution to navigating the quagmire of voter dates, deadlines, requirements and regulations.

    As President and CEO of U.S. Vote Foundation (US Vote), I would venture to say it's the coolest new voter tool of 2016.

  • Overseas Voter Ballot Request Deadlines - Coming Up!

    This article, written by our Overseas Vote Volunteer, Andee Goldman, originally appeared in the Times of Israel Blog, Sep 29, 2016. 

    Time is of the essence — the General Election is November 8th. Every vote is important. A simple mistake could be made that disqualifies you from absentee voting. Submitting to your State, a Voter Registration and Absentee Ballot Request (FPCA), does not always mean you are registered. Mail is lost, or questions go unanswered. While there still is time: verify that you are registered:

    1. Go to the State Voting Requirements page; enter your state and hit Submit. Scroll down and click on "Am I Registered - State Lookup Tools".  The link should take you to your state's service that will look up your voter registration status. If you are an active voter, it should indicate that. There may also be a "Where's My Ballot" service from your state (not all of them have this), but if so, it will be located there.

    2. In addition, you may also want to call your Local Election Office to check that your application was accepted and your ballots will be sent. Go to the Election Official Directory: Enter your state and county (or city/town, depending) , and hit Submit. Then you should have the contact information.

  • NOT GOOD: 4% Turnout for Overseas Voters

    No pretty infographic or careful structuring of the information can hide the tragic fact that even in the last General Election Year of 2012, the OVERSEAS VOTER TURNOUT = 4%. Or, maybe up to 5% in a General Election year. That is (should be) the real headline.

    With the millions invested by the states and the FVAP to run the overseas voting program, and with all that has been invested in civic technology by our foundation as well.... That's it? Yes, that is it.

  • Americans around the world “Vote in Honor of Veterans”

    This blog by our dedicated volunteer in Israel, Andee Goldman, originally appeared in the Times of Israel on September 15, 2016. It is reprinted here in full. To see the original post, please visit this link.

    When Americans go to the polls to vote in November, their history should not be forgotten. The American national anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner” was written on September 14, 1814 by Francis Scott Key, after he witnessed the bombardment of Fort McHenry by British ships in the War of 1812. Key was inspired by the large American flag, flying triumphantly above the fort during the fight and victory.

  • Study at Home or Abroad - and Vote in Election 2016!

    The November 8, 2016 Presidential Election is on track to be a historical one with a campaign unlike anything the country has ever seen before, a major party’s first female candidate, and a growing number of people pledging to vote for a third party. It’s undeniable that the stakes are high, and as a result we will see record numbers of voters at the polls.

    What if you can’t make it to the polls? This is a concern that many college students face as they prepare for the upcoming fall semester. Searching government websites can be a bit daunting.

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