Message for U.S. Citizens: Submit Your Absentee Ballot Request for the November 2011 General Statewide Elections

October 7, 2011

The U.S. Embassy in Tegucigalpa informs American citizens residing in or visiting Honduras that Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, Ohio and Virginia Voters, can submit absentee ballot requests now for the November 2011 General Statewide Elections.  Arkansas, Kentucky, Maine, Mississippi, New Jersey, Ohio and Virginia will hold general statewide elections on November 8, 2011.

• New York will hold general statewide elections on November 11, 2011.
• Louisiana will hold their general statewide election on November 19, 2011.

These are non-federal elections ranging from offices of Governor, Lieutenant Governor, State legislators and other State and local offices and issues.  If you are eligible and want to vote in statewide elections, you may submit a Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) or a State Voter Registration Application.  Go to http://www.fvap.gov and get started.

Registration, ballot request and return deadlines follow:

Arkansas:
General Election: 11/08/2011
Register by: 10/11/2011
Request ballot by: 11/01/2011
Return ballot by: 11/18/2011 (Postmarked by 11/08/11)

Kentucky:
General Election: 11/08/2011
Register by: 10/11/2011
Request ballot by: 11/01/2011
Return ballot by: 6pm 11/8/2011

Louisiana:
General Election: 11/19/2011
Register by: 10/19/2011
Request ballot by: 11/18/2011
Return ballot by: 11/19/2011

Maine:
General Election: 11/08/2011
Register by: 8pm 11/08/2011
Request ballot by: 8pm 11/08/2011
Return ballot by: 8pm 11/08/2011

Mississippi:
General Election: 11/08/2011
Register by: 10/29/2011
Request ballot by: 5pm 11/07/2011 (e-mail option for AD Military by: 7pm 11/8/2011)
Return ballot by: 5pm 11/07/2011 (e-mail option for AD Military by: 7pm 11/8/2011)

New Jersey:
General Election: 11/08/2011
Register by: 10/18/2011
Request ballot by: 11/01/2011
Return ballot by Electronic means by: 11/04/2011
Return ballot by mail by: 11/08/2011

New York:
General Election: 11/08/2011
Register by: 10/28/2011
Request ballot by: 11/01/2011*
Return ballot by: 11/21/2011 (Postmarked by 11/07/2011)
* Military voters may request a ballot in-person up to the day before an election.

Ohio:
General Election: 11/08/2011
Register by: 10/11/2011
Request ballot by: 11/05/2011
Return ballot from within U.S.by: 11/18/2011 (Postmarked by 11/07/11)
Return ballot from outside U.S.by: 11/18/2011 (Postmarked by 11/08/11)

Virginia:
General Election: 11/08/2011
Register by: Overseas citizens: 10/17/2011, Military and dependents: 11/01/11
Request ballot by: 5pm 11/01/2011
Return ballot by: 7pm 11/08/2011

This list may not be exhaustive.  Please check your State’s election website for any other 2011 general statewide elections, and for specific information on candidates, elections, voting, contact information and link to your local election offices.  Find your State’s website at FVAP’s web portal at: http://www.fvap.gov/reference/links.html

To find out the status of your registration/absentee ballot request, contact your local election office at http://www.fvap.gov/shortcuts/wheresendfpca.html, or visit your State website.

Please Note: Be sure you include a phone and/or fax number and an email address on your absentee ballot application in case your local election official needs to contact you.  And, remember, depending on what State you are from, you can return your form by email, fax, or mail.  Go to http://www.fvap.gov or your State’s election website to see how you can return your form.

Additional Information - Important for 2012: Make sure you resubmit a ballot request form in January 2012 to ensure you receive your ballots for the 2012 elections.

For additional State news, go to FVAP.gov. FVAP can be contacted at 1-800-438-8683.  Citizens may reach FVAP toll-free from 67 countries by using the toll-free numbers listed on the FVAP web portal, http://www.fvap.gov/contact/index.html.  Questions regarding the above may also be referred to the Director, Federal Voting Assistance Program, Department of Defense, 1155 Defense Pentagon, Washington, DC, 20301-1155, by e-mail to: vote@fvap.gov, and at http://www.fvap.gov. And don’t forget to “like” us Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/DoDFVAP and follow @FVAP on Twitter.

The Voting Assistance Officer at the U.S. Embassy, Tegucigalpa is also always available to answer questions about absentee voting.  To contact the Voting Assistance Officer, call (504) 2238-5114, ext. 4400 or send an e-mail to VoteTegucigalpa@state.gov

If you are going to live in or visit Honduras, please take the time to tell our Embassy about your trip.  If you sign up, we can keep you up to date with important safety and security announcements.  We can also help your friends and family get in touch with you in an emergency.  Here’s the link to the Department of State’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program: https://travelregistration.state.gov

U.S. citizens should consult the Country Specific Information for Honduras and the latest Travel Alerts and Warnings and Worldwide Caution at the State Department's website: http://travel.state.gov

Current information on safety and security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States, or for callers outside the United States and Canada, a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444.  These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).

The U.S. Embassy is located on Avenida La Paz in Tegucigalpa; telephone (504) 2238-5114, after hours telephone (504) 2236-8497; Consular Section fax (504) 2238-4357; E-mail: usahonduras@state.gov; Webpage: http://honduras.usembassy.gov

American Citizen Services at the U.S. Embassy in Tegucigalpa is on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/acstegucigalpa