America’s Primary race is very similar to horse racing. We are rounding the bend, and coming to the final turn-around before entering the home straight in the run to the finish line. The various potential presidential candidates are jockeying for position to try and win their parties’ nominations to win their various conventions. Democratic National Convention will be held July 25-28 in Philadelphia, with an expected 4765 delegates; while, some 2,472 delegates will attend the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio, July 18-21, 2016.
Will it be a photo finish or winning the race hands down? If you are an American Expat, your citizenship guarantees YOU the right to vote throughout YOUR entire adulthood, regardless of residency. The stakes are high for domestic voters – Abortion, Crime, Economy, Education, Guns, Health Care, Immigration, and National Security; while, Expats are concerned about FATCA, Terrorism against Americans, Citizenship Taxation without Representation, and Medicare Part B penalty.
“Let us never forget that government is ourselves and not an alien power over us. The ultimate rulers of our democracy are not a President and senators and congressmen and government officials, but the voters of this country.” Franklin D. Roosevelt
Who are you rooting for? The bets are high – will it be Cruz, Trump, Clinton, Sanders, or Kasich?
April, May, and June Primaries for Overseas Voters- deadlines Date State Registration Ballot Request Ballot Return
| April 19 | New York | Received by March 25, 2016 | Received by April 12, 2016 | Postmarked by*April 18, 2016, must be received by the 7th day after the election. |
| April 26 | Conn | Received by 5 PM, April 25th | Received by April 25, 2016 | Received by 8PM, April 26, 2016 |
| April 26 | Delaware
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By Mail: Postmark by April 11, 2016 By Email or Fax: Received by April 11, 2016 | Request Mail Ballot: Received by 12 PM, April 22, 2016 Request Email/Online or Fax Ballot: Received by12 PM, April 25, 2016 | Received by 8pm April 26, 2016 |
| April 26 | Maryland | Postmark April 5, 2016 | Request Mail Ballot: Received by April 19, 2016 Request Email/Online or Fax Ballot: Received by April 22, 2016 | Postmarked by *8 PM, April 26, 2016 – Ballots must be received by the 10th day after the election. |
| April 26 | PA | By Mail: Postmark by March 28th By Email or Fax: Received by March 28, 2016 | Received by April 25, 2016 | Signed by*April 25, 2016 – Ballots must be received by 5:00 pm on the 7th day after the election. |
| April 26 | Rhode Island
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Not required | Received by 4 PM, April 5, 2016 | Received by 8 PM, April 26, 2016 |
| May 3 | Indiana | Received by April 25, 2016 | Request Mail Ballot: Received by April 25, 2016 Request Email/Online or Fax Ballot: Received by 12 PM, May 2, 2016 | Return by Email or Fax: Received by May 3, 2016. Return by Mail: Postmarked by*May 3, 2016 Ballots must be received by 12:00 pm the 10th day after the election. |
| May 10 | Nebraska (R) | By Mail: Received by 6 PM, April 22, 2016 By Email or Fax: Received by 6 PM, April 29, 2016 | Received by 4 PM, May 4, 2016 | Received by 8 PM CT/ 7 PM MT, May 10, 2016 |
| May 10 | W. Virginia | Received by April 19, 2016 | Received by May 4, 2016 | Received by May 16, 2016 |
| May 17 | Kentucky (D) | By Mail: Postmark by April 18, 2016 By Email or Fax: Received by April 18, 2016 | Received by May 10, 2016 | Received by 6 PM, May 17, 2016 |
| May 17 | Oregon | By Mail: Postmark by April 26, 2016 By Email or Fax: Received by April 26, 2016 | Request Mail Ballot: Received by May 12, 2016 Request Email/Online or Fax Ballot: Received by May 17, 2016 | Received by 8 PM, May 17, 2016 |
| May 24 | WA (R) | Received by 8 PM, May 24, 2016 | Received by 8 PM, May 24, 2016 | Return by Email or Fax: Received by 8 PM, May 24th. Return by Mail: Signed by*8 PM, May 24, 2016 (Ballots must be received by the 13th day after primary elections) |
| June 7 | California | Return by Mail: Postmark by May 23, 2016 Return by Fax: Rec by May 23, 2016 | Received by May 31, 2016 | Return by Mail: Postmarked by*June 7, 2016 Return by Fax: Received by June 7, 2016 |
| June 7 | Montana | Received by 8 PM, June 7, 2016 | Received by 8 PM, June 7, 2016 | Return by Mail: Received by 8 PM, June 7th. Return by Email or Fax: Sent by 8 PM, June 7, 2016 Must be sent by the day of the election and received by the 6th day after the election. |
| June 7 | New Jersey | By Mail: Received by May 8, 2016 By Email or Fax: Received by June 3, 2016 | By Mail: Received by May 8, 2016 By Email or Fax: Received by June 3, 2016
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Received by 8 PM, June 7, 2016 |
| June 7 | New Mexico | Received by May 10, 2016 | Received by June 3, 2016 | Received by June 7, 2016 |
| June 7 | South Dakota | Received by 5 PM, May 23, 2016 | Received by 5 PM, June 6, 2016 | Received by 7 PM, June 7, 2016 |
| June 14 | District of Columbia | By Mail: Received by May 15, 2016 By Email or Fax: Received by May 16, 2016 | Received by June 7, 2016 | Received by June 14, 2016 |
| Nov 8 | General Election | Check your state | Check your state | Check your state |
Now that you have your program, enjoy the race. For your voting questions, Andee can be reached at votingfromabroad@gmail.com or for your Absentee Ballot Request go to www.overseasvote.org Ballots are mailed out 45 days before the election. If you do not receive your ballot within 30 days of the election, don’t worry. A Federal Write In Ballot FWAB is an alternative ballot for overseas and uniformed services voters whose ballots are late. If you want your vote to count, please mail early enough to account for mail delivery times.