"It's the 4th quarter.  We're down a field goal, but we're on offense -- we've got the ball -- and we're driving down the field.  And, boy, do we have the right team!"  --  Tim Walz, Democratic Vice-Presidential Nominee, in his acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention.

To continue the American football metaphor (with apologies to futbol fans), Bill Belichick, winner of six Super Bowls as a head coach, is known for insisting that his players follow one simple rule:  DO. YOUR. JOB.

YOUR JOB, at this point, is:

1. If you haven't already, request your ballot -- right now -- at VoteFromAbroad.org
2. Vote your ballot -- all the way down the ballot
3. Promptly return your ballot, along with a signed and dated voter oath/certificate -- see the DA FL State Team Voting Guide
4. Track your ballot to make certain that the election office received it, and it was counted

PENALTIES

• Questions??  Problems??  Email the DA Voter Helpdesk at [email protected] or attend an online Voter Assistance Session
• Didn't receive a ballot?  Ballot hasn't been received by the election office?  Complete and submit the Federal backup ballot (FWAB)
• Don't know who to vote for or how to vote on ballot initiatives?  Check the DA FL State Team 2024 Voting Recommendations

OVERTIME

Done your job?  The game isn't over.  Talk to your American friends and neighbors, regardless of what state they vote in.  Volunteer with your DA Country Committee.  Take the DA Voter Assistance training and help other voters do their job by working in an online Voter Assistance Session. 

What happens when you don't do your job?  We recently received news from the Miami-Dade County Democratic Party that 18 overseas ballots were received by the election office with no identification (i.e. no voter oath/certificate).  Those 18 ballots were discarded.

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We get it.  Voting from abroad is a chore, even if everything works smoothly.  It's also a privilege and a responsibility.  Democrats Abroad is here to help, whether through the Florida State Team, the Voter Help Desk, or the Vote From Abroad web site.  Need help?  Please ask.  Here are some suggested solutions for common problems:

 

I haven’t received my ballot	If you have not yet requested your ballot, do that right away at Vote From Abroad (you must now request a ballot every year) Search your email for “ballot” Check your email junk, spam, promotions, and trash folders Check your registration and ballot status using the link for your county's Voter Lookup Page Call your local election office to make certain your request for a ballot was received and accepted.  A list of phone numbers is available at the Florida State voting rules and contacts page
I can’t download my ballot and voting materials, or some pages are missing	Try a different computer or different web browser Call your local election office and ask them to send the materials via email while you’re on the phone
When I print my ballot, it’s really small	It’s OK.  As long as your ballot and votes can be read clearly, print the ballot on whatever size paper you have available.  Try to print across the entire width of the page – it's OK if one page spills over onto another
The instructions say I need a special envelope	No, you don’t.  First, you only need an envelope when returning your ballot by mail / courier.  Please consider faxing your ballot as described at Fax Back Your FL Ballot If you do return your ballot by mail, please see our guide for how to collect and package your ballot and Voter Oath at FL Voting Information Some counties only provide the voter oath as part of an envelope page.  Just print the whole page, complete, sign, and date the voter oath, and include that page with your submission
I’d really like someone to help me walk through the process	Online Voter Assistance Sessions are available!  These are one-on-one, private sessions with a trained volunteer.  You can find the schedule at VFA Voter Support
I have another question that isn’t answered here	Please email [email protected]

 

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Voting progress update

Through 19-October, we've identified 87,062 Florida-registered voters with an overseas address, military overseas address, or who have identified themselves to their election office as being overseas during voting.  Of those, 39,374 are Democrats (45.2%), but only 28,687 of the Democrats (72.9%) have requested an overseas ballot.  While some of the other 10,000+ Democrats will vote in person, there are a lot of Democrats sitting in the bleachers. Only 8,943 of Democrats who have requested an overseas ballot (31.2%) have returned their ballot.  (These are total Florida overseas voter registration numbers, not solely DA members.) 

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Kamala Harris says, "When we work, we win!" 

This is an incredibly important election.  Please do your part to, "[re]establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity."  (From the preamble to the Constitution of the United States of America.) 

PLEASE VOTE TODAY!

In solidarity,

Your Democrats Abroad Florida State Team Co-Chairs

Carol Moore [email protected] Lives in London, England Votes in Palm Beach County

Scott Hoffman [email protected] Lives in La Paz, BCS, Mexico Votes in Hillsborough County