Dear Democrats Abroad members,
Our right to vote is the cornerstone of democracy—a powerful tool that gives each of us a voice in shaping the future of our communities and our nation. However, it's not enough to simply cast our ballot; we must also ensure that our votes are protected and counted.
In order to better assist you in our voter protection efforts, we kindly ask that you participate in three short surveys and encourage your voter networks abroad to do the same. These surveys cover your voting experience in the 2024 Primary election, geo-blocking, and Nixie issues.
To help you stay informed and empowered in protecting our votes, we want to inform you of potential voter protection issues that may arise and encourage you to share this information with your fellow members and colleagues. If you encounter any voter issues and need support, please contact us at DA Voter Protection.
Let's commit to safeguarding the integrity of our votes because when we protect our votes, we protect our democracy!
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Signature Matching:
Signature matching is one of the most common issues preventing ballots from abroad from being counted. If voters have concerns or are unsure about the signature on file for them, they should contact their local election office (LEO) to check for potential issues now.
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Misinformation:
Misinformation is common, and LEOs may inadvertently give the wrong information to voters from abroad. If you have concerns, please ensure you've been given the correct information by contacting VFA Voter Assistance for up-to-date information on the UOCAVA laws that protect your vote from abroad, or by writing DA Voter Protection.
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Voter Roll Purges:
If a voter has been purged or cannot verify they are registered to vote, they should send in an overseas ballot request form (the Federal Postcard Application or FPCA) now to re-register.
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Geoblocking:
Voter information websites are being blocked for some foreign locations. If you are not able to access a website, try using a VPN. The Opera browser has a built-in VPN, or consider contacting your LEO to help establish an appropriate workaround if necessary. We urge anyone encountering geoblocking to contact DA Voter Protection so that we can raise it with relevant bodies further up the chain (with state voter protection teams, the DNC, state Board of Elections, etc).
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Nixie Issue:
Election materials returned to voters marked ‘return to sender’. In some cases, election materials going through the NY International Service Center for inbound international mail are returned with a label that says ‘Nixie’ printed on it. Voters should use email or fax wherever possible to vote their ballots. If required to return ballots by mail, do so as early as possible and if it is returned to sender, vote a new ballot using a Backup Ballot (the Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot, or FWAB) and use a courier as a workaround. Please contact DA Voter Protection if you are dealing with a Nixie issue, so that we can add this to our data for our ongoing investigations.
These are just a few examples of the issues that may be encountered. Others may involve election materials and ballots being held up in customs or problems with social security numbers. If you or someone you know is experiencing these or any other issues preventing them from voting, please contact us for help at DA Voter Protection. During the 2020 elections, we handled over 500 cases, assisting voters abroad to cast their ballots successfully.
Most importantly, don’t delay seeking help if you’re experiencing a problem and always check for confirmation that the LEO has received your voted ballot. Voter protection issues usually arise unexpectedly and addressing them at the last minute risks missing the election deadline. Let’s help ensure that ALL votes are counted in 2024!
DA Voter Protection
Maya Buchanan - Lead
Mary Meehan - Deputy Lead
[email protected]