May Fairfax students eligible to vote register in other counties? For example, your 18-year old daughter goes to Virginia Tech in Montgomery County. She doesn't like the idea that her absentee ballot from Fairfax County will not be counted unless the election is close. She would like to vote in Montgomery County. Misleading information about losing scholarships and having to be on your parents' income tax deduction, etc. abound. This propaganda effort appears to be one to limited student registration. Any thoughts about this situation?

Register to vote in Montgomery County...

DO NOT ADVISE YOUR STUDENT TO VOTE IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY! If you do this, it screws up their legal residency with Fairfax County. (Meaning it screws up their taxes, their legal residency, driver's license, etc.)

I work for the Fairfax County Office of Elections, in the Office of Voter Registration. It is nonsense that the absentee ballots only count if the election is close (where the heck did you get that misinformation? and why did you believe it without checking the facts first? Educate yourself. Go to the website for the Fairfax County Office of Elections, read up for yourself). Your student can apply for an Absentee Ballo

I've spent the past several days opening THOUSANDS of absentee ballot applications from Fairfax County voters. We record, stamp and process EVERY one. The amount of detail to ensure each and every one is process is extraordinary. There is detailed accountability, and a detailed record keeps track of how each application is processed. Each one is verified with the database to ensure the voter is registered, and then an absentee ballot is sent. As long as the voter does her/his part to return the ballot, it IS counted. Don't believe misinformation, go to the source for the truth. Don't waste your student's vote. By the way, based on the HUGE volume of mail we've received recently, this election is going to be historic, in my opinion. People really WANT to vote, based on how many voter registration forms we've received and how many absentee ballots we've received. It is obvious people are really taking this election seriously and want to have their vote counted. Otherwise, they wouldn't go through the trouble to call in to update voter registraton information, apply to absentee ballots, etc.

We are working diligently to process each one. People want to vote and it is very inspiring to see the process working as it should.

I don't think a student can get an absentee ballot if they are a first time voter.

True????


The facts.... Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> DO NOT ADVISE YOUR STUDENT TO VOTE IN MONTGOMERY
> COUNTY! If you do this, it screws up their legal
> residency with Fairfax County. (Meaning it screws
> up their taxes, their legal residency, driver's
> license, etc.)
>
> I work for the Fairfax County Office of Elections,
> in the Office of Voter Registration. It is
> nonsense that the absentee ballots only count if
> the election is close (where the heck did you get
> that misinformation? and why did you believe it
> without checking the facts first? Educate
> yourself. Go to the website for the Fairfax
> County Office of Elections, read up for yourself).
> Your student can apply for an Absentee Ballo
>
> I've spent the past several days opening THOUSANDS
> of absentee ballot applications from Fairfax
> County voters. We record, stamp and process EVERY
> one. The amount of detail to ensure each and every
> one is process is extraordinary. There is
> detailed accountability, and a detailed record
> keeps track of how each application is processed.
> Each one is verified with the database to ensure
> the voter is registered, and then an absentee
> ballot is sent. As long as the voter does her/his
> part to return the ballot, it IS counted. Don't
> believe misinformation, go to the source for the
> truth. Don't waste your student's vote. By the
> way, based on the HUGE volume of mail we've
> received recently, this election is going to be
> historic, in my opinion. People really WANT to
> vote, based on how many voter registration forms
> we've received and how many absentee ballots we've
> received. It is obvious people are really taking
> this election seriously and want to have their
> vote counted. Otherwise, they wouldn't go through
> the trouble to call in to update voter registraton
> information, apply to absentee ballots, etc.
>
> We are working diligently to process each one.
> People want to vote and it is very inspiring to
> see the process working as it should.

They can submit a voter registration, WITH an absentee ballot request in the same envelope. As we open the mail that contains both forms (a Voter Registration, even if first time registration, AND an Absentee Ballot request) we flag those and give them to the correct person to process. The voter registration form is processed first to guarantee the voter is registered and in the system. Then we submit the Absentee Ballot request to the correct handler to facilitate the absentee ballot request. Because the Absentee Ballot forms are time sensitive (we've got to process them in time to make sure we get them verified with the Voter Registration database and then get the ballots mailed out) we're encouraging people to send in their absentee ballots ASAP.

Details from the website:

Absentee Voting By Mail

The first absentee ballot mail-out with be September 19th (approximately)

The deadline to apply by mail or fax for ballot , October 28th, 5:00 p.m.

The deadline to return ballot, November 4th, 7:00 p.m.*
*All mailed absentee ballots MUST be received at the Office of Elections by 7:00 p.m. on November 4th in order to be counted

Contact http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/eb/homepage.htm or call The Office of the General Registrar, 703-222-0776 for more help.

Am I eligible to vote absentee?

You may vote absentee, either by mail or in person, if you are unable to go to the polls on Election Day because you ...

* are a student or the spouse of a student attending a school outside Fairfax County
* will be away from Fairfax County on business
* will be working and commuting for 11 or more hours between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m.
* will be away from Fairfax County on personal business or vacation
* are unable to go to the polls because of illness or disability (see below for physical disability or illness)
* are the primary caretaker of a confined family member
* have a religious obligation
* are confined awaiting trial
* are confined having been convicted of a misdemeanor
* are an election official
* are on active duty in the military outside Fairfax County
* are the spouse or dependent residing with a member of the military outside Fairfax County
* are an overseas citizen* whose most recent United States residence was in Fairfax County

Active-duty Military and Overseas Citizens

If you are:

* a member of the military on active duty, or an eligible spouse or dependent
* a U.S. citizen temporarily residing outside the U.S.
* a U.S. citizen overseas by virture of employment or accompanying spouse or dependents
* other U.S. citizen residing outside the U.S.

You may be eligible to receive an absentee ballot by completing the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA). For specific information, including the on-line version of the FPCA, see the Federal Voting Assistance Program (www.fvap.gov) website. Or, call us at 703-222-0776.


*ATTENTION OVERSEAS CIVILIAN VOTERS

Virginia Election Law requires that a civilian who has voted by absentee ballot as a "Temporary Overseas Voter" must reregister when they return to Fairfax County. Civilians who fail to reregister, when they return from overseas to live in Fairfax County, will not be eligible to vote in the next election. Returning civilians must complete and mail in a Virginia Voter Registration Application before the registration books close for the next election.



Disability and Illness

Virginia Election Law 24.2-703.1 provides that any voter who is eligible for an absentee ballot ... because of a physical disability or physical illness and who is likely to remain so disabled or ill for the remainder of the calendar year shall be eligible to file a special annual application to receive ballots for all elections in which he is eligible to vote in a calendar year.

If you wish to receive an absentee ballot by mail for all elections in which you are eligible to vote, complete Parts A, B, C, and D of the Annual Application for an Absentee Ballot due to Physical Disability or Illness.

Have your physician complete Part E of the Annual Application. Mail the completed application to the Office of Elections, 12000 Government Center Parkway, Suite 323, Fairfax, VA 22035-0081 or fax it to us at (703) 324-3725.

You will be sent absentee ballots for all elections in which you are eligible to vote. In December of every year you will be sent another Annual Application to be completed in order to request ballots for the upcoming election year. This second Annual Application does not need the physician's statement since we would already have a physician's statement on your first annual application.

You will need the Adobe Acrobat Reader program installed on your computer to print the Annual Application for an Absentee Ballot due to Physical Disability or Illness. If you do not have the Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer, click on the image below to go to the Adobe Systems download site. Download and install the program according to the instructions. Adobe Acrobat Reader is free and is distributed by Adobe Systems.

Download Acrobat Reader from Adobe's site

If you have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer, click on the link below to print the Annual Application for an Absentee Ballot due to Physical Disability or Illness.

Print the Annual Application for an Absentee Ballot due to Physical Disability or Illness (pdf, 137k)

You may also call 703-222-0776 to have an application mailed to you.

Commuting and Working on Election Day
If you will be commuting and working for 11 or more hours, between 6:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., on Election Day, you may qualify to vote by absentee ballot.

When will I get my ballot?

The Electoral Board begins mailing ballots 45 days before each general election. Ballots are mailed the next business day after the absentee ballot applications are received. Please apply early enough to allow time to get your ballot and return it by Election Day. Call or e-mail us if your ballot doesn't arrive within a reasonable time.

How is my mailed ballot counted?

Mailed absentee ballots are counted on Election Day in the Central Absentee Precinct (CAP). Fairfax County uses optical scan equipment to count paper ballots. Please follow the marking instructions on your ballot and return it in the envelopes provided. Be sure to fill in ALL the information on Envelope B, including; your full name, legal address, your signature, your witness's signature and a date. Anyone, including your spouse, family member or neighbor, may serve as your witness.

If you have more questions . . .

E-mail or call us at 703-222-0776. However, you cannot request an Absentee Ballot by an e-mail. You must first submit a completed Absentee Ballot Application.

Fixing column width problem

Jimmy......go back to school and learn how to spell