Absentee Ballot Info Available

With the November presidential election looming, the Defense Department is taking steps to ensure that service members know how to obtain and cast absentee ballots. "Voting assistance officers are working hard to ensure absentee ballots get into the hands of our Soldiers, DA civilians, and their family members who need them, in a timely manner," said Brig. Gen. Reuben Jones, the adjutant general of the Army, who leads the service’s effort to encourage soldiers to vote. The department has declared June 28-July 7 as Overseas Citizens Voters Week; Aug. 31-Sept. 7 as Armed Forces Voters Week; and Oct. 12-18 as Absentee Voting Week, to draw attention to the upcoming election. The weeks will be marked by vote-registration drives, and voting assistance officers will distribute forms and other information geared toward making it easier to vote. For their part, service members can find forms and information themselves at www.fvap.gov on the Web. More information is available by calling (800) 438-VOTE (8683), DSN 435-1584, DSN 221-4530, or (703) 325-4530.