Squirrel

OK if this should be in MBTTUK mods feel free to move, more might see it here though.

DH wants to vote, he's only voted once since he's lived in the UK and that was when he happened to be home a couple of years ago during elections.

Can anyone explain how he goes about getting an absentee ballot in a way even dummies like us can understand? (This is from a guy who has never done his US taxes because it's too hard! His dad did them when he lived in the US!)

Btw his state is Massachussetts.

Michael

Each state has different laws concerning absentee ballots. For instance, in California, anybody can request a mail in ballot and once requested, they will be sent ballots every year after that unless they don't vote at least once every four years. You can be a resident of the state or living overseas to vote by mail and the procedure is similar when requesting the ballot.

rpjs

This site might be useful: http://www.votefromabroad.org/

Bob

http://www.sec.state.ma.us/ele/eleifv/howabs.htm

Though the way the post works, it's probably better to get a proxy voter, if you can do that.

Certainly the case if you want to vote in the UK while in the US as the postal vote unless you use special delivery just won't make it door to door in time.

avanutria

I was an absentee votor for the state of Washington for five years while in the UK, never had a problem getting and returning my ballot in plenty of time via the regular mail.

Since moving here in 2009, DH and I have received UK ballots in the mail several times, and they always arrive without enough time to return them before the election.

Squirrel

Bob, the proxy voter thing sounds better, do you know how he goes about that? His mom could vote for him. (I think he only wants to particularly vote in the Oct elections so time is not of the essence). Thanks.

Bob

I've no idea, I couldn't be arsed to read the info. But it is in the pdf that is on that page I linked to.

Squirrel

OK I couldn't see anything about getting someone else to vote on your behalf, only getting someone else to organise an absentee ballot for you. So I guess he'll just have to go that route. (If I Google proxy voting, because I am in the UK, it is all UK stuff that comes up).

Thanks for helping anyhow.

ian-mstm

Try this instead: http://www.google.com/webhp?hl=en. It's country neutral.

Ian

Squirrel

Thanks that's handy to know.