JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas –
Service members and their voting-age family members will soon be able to participate in a weeklong voter registration effort.
During Armed Forces Voters Week, June 28-July 5, Federal Post Card Applications will be delivered to service members and their families as part of a program to encourage them to vote.
“Since the general election is right around the corner on Nov. 3, now is the time to register to vote and request your absentee ballot,” said Shancii Brown, Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph voting assistance officer. “This process ensures that voting requirements are met by deadlines prior to the election. The FPCA acts as both a registration and absentee ballot request form.”
Military families may be uncertain of deciding where to register to vote due to factors such as duty locations, place of birth and home of record, Brown said.
“While some want to vote locally, there are others who choose to vote in their state of permanent residence or hometown,” she said. “In short, that decision is up to the individual.”
Because voting requirements vary from state to state, it is important for people to stay informed and know what the requirements are for wherever they plan to vote, Brown said.
“It is also vital that voters know how to request their absentee ballot as well as when, where and how to return it to their election office,” she said. “This is where your unit voting assistance officer can assist.”
Prospective voters also have the option of downloading the FPCA online at the Federal Voting Assistance Program website at http://www.fvap.gov, printing it and submitting it by mail to complete the voter registration process.
The FVAP is a Department of Defense organization that works to ensure service members, their eligible family members and overseas citizens are aware of their right to vote and have the tools and resources to successfully do so from anywhere in the world.
During Armed Forces Voters Week, U.S. military installations, embassies, consulates and overseas citizens groups offer voter registration opportunities as part of Independence Day celebrations.
For more information, contact the unit voting assistance officer at any JBSA location. For JBSA-Fort Sam Houston, contact D.C. Lanier at 210-221-2705 or 210-221-2418; Hazel Wong at JBSA-Lackland, 210-671-3722; or Shancii Brown at JBSA-Randolph, 210-652-5321.