Information for Travelers
Warden Message
September 23, 2007
MASSACHUSETTS TO HOLD A SPECIAL PRIMARY ELECTION ON OCTOBER 16, 2007
FOR REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE 5TH DISTRICT
On October 16, 2007 there will be a special general election in Massachusetts’ 5th Congressional District to fill the seat of Representative Martin T. Meehan.
To determine if your legal residence is in the 5th Congressional District, click on “Communicating with Your Elected Officials”, then "Who is my Representative?" at the Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) website, www.fvap.gov.
The candidates are:
Republican Party
* Jim Ogonowski
Democratic Party
* Nicola S. Tsongas
Independents
* Kurt Hayes
* Patrick O. Murphy
Constitution Party of Massachusetts
* Kevin J. Thompson
REGISTERING TO VOTE AND REQUESTING A BALLOT:
If you have not done so already in calendar year 2007, all members of the U.S. Uniformed Services, their family members and citizens residing outside the U.S. who are Massachusetts residents from the 5th District should request a ballot for this special general election by completing and submitting a Federal Post Card Application (FPCA), SF-76, as soon as possible. The online version of the FPCA is available from the FVAP website at www.fvap.gov/pubs/onlinefpca.html. Specific instructions for Massachusetts are available at: http://www.fvap.gov/pubs/vag/pdfvag/ma.pdf.
Registration is waived for Massachusetts citizens covered by the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act. To request an absentee ballot, the local registrar of voters must receive your FPCA or any other form of written communication with your name, date of birth, legal residence in Massachusetts and current mailing address not later than noon the day before the election.
You may submit the FPCA for absentee ballot requests by fax. After faxing, you must submit the FPCA by mail so that it arrives by October 16 in order to have your ballot counted. Use the following toll-free fax numbers for the U.S. and Canada: 1-800-368-8683, (703) 693-5527 or DSN 223-5527 (military). At www.fvap.gov/services/faxing.html, there is a list of additional toll-free fax numbers from overseas countries.
APPLICATION FOR BALLOT BY PROXY:
Massachusetts allows your spouse, or person residing in the same household, parent, in-laws, brother, sister, son, daughter, stepparent, stepchild, half-sister, half-brother, uncle, aunt, niece, nephew, grandparent or grandchild to request that a ballot be sent to you. Necessary forms may be obtained at the clerk’s office in the city or town of voting residence. Any form of written communication containing the required information may also be sent to the clerk’s office.
RETURNING YOUR BALLOT:
UNIFORMED SERVICES - If you reside within the U.S., return your voted ballot to the local election official so that it arrives by the close of polls on election day. If you reside outside the U.S., your voted ballot must be postmarked by election day and returned to the local election official so that it arrives not later than 10 days after the election to be counted for Federal elections.
CIVILIANS OUTSIDE U.S. - Your voted ballot must be postmarked by election day and returned to the local election official so that it arrives not later than 10 days after the election to be counted for Federal elections.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Massachusetts does not allow electronic transmission of the blank ballot or the voted ballot.
State specific information on your precinct, candidates, elections, and voting is available at the Massachusetts Secretary of State website, http://www.sec.state.ma.us/ele.
The FVAP can be contacted via 1-800-438-8683. Citizens may reach the FVAP toll-free from 67 countries using the toll-free numbers listed on the FVAP website, www.fvap.gov. Questions regarding the above may also be referred to the Director, Federal Voting Assistance Program, Department of Defense, 1155 Defense Pentagon, vote@fvap.ncr.gov and on the World Wide Web at www.fvap.gov.
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