FACTSHEET UNIFORMED AND OVERSEAS CITIZENS

The purpose of the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) is to permit absent uniformed services and overseas citizens to use absentee procedures to vote by absentee ballot in primary, general, and special elections for Federal offices; and to permit these individuals to use a Federal write-in absentee ballot (FWAB) in the General Election for Federal offices.

Citizens residing overseas are those persons who reside anywhere except the states of the U.S., the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, the Virgin Islands, and American Samoa.

An absent uniformed services citizen is:

• A member of a uniformed service on active duty who is absent from the place of residence where the member is otherwise qualified to vote;

• A member of the merchant marine who, by reason of service in the merchant marine, is absent from the place of residence where the member is otherwise qualified to vote; and

• A spouse or dependent of an active duty uniformed services citizen who is absent.

An overseas citizen means:

• An absent uniformed services citizen who, by reason of active duty or service is absent from the United States on the day of the election;

• A person who resides outside the United States and is qualified to vote in the last place in which the person was domiciled before leaving the United States;

• A person who resides outside the United States and is qualified to vote in the last place in which the person was domiciled before leaving the United States (includes residents temporarily overseas who remain qualified to vote in all federal, state and local elections); or

• A person who resides outside the United States and (but for such residency) would be qualified to vote in the last place in which the person was domiciled before leaving the United States (for federal offices only).

REGISTRATION AND ABSENTEE VOTING

Any unregistered person may register by mail. To register to vote, the applicant must mail a completed Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) to his/her County Clerk, and it must be received not later than 30 days before an election. An absentee ballot may be requested at the same time. Section 102 of the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (42 U.S.C. 1973ff-1) was amended and requires counties to inform each absent uniformed services voter and overseas voters who submits an application or an absentee ballot request, with the reason for rejecting the voter registration or absentee ballot request.

The State shall provide an absentee ballot to the voter for each subsequent election for 2 regularly scheduled general elections for Federal Office.

Applying for and Voting by Absentee Ballot

A currently registered person may request an absentee ballot by mailing a completed FPCA to his/her County Clerk. The application must be received by the County Clerk not later than seven (7) days before an election.

Absentee ballots are mailed approximately 35 days before an election. The County Clerk must receive voted ballots by the close of polls on election day. For further information, contact:

Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) Toll-Free Ombudsman in the United States Phone: 1-800-438-VOTE (8683) Website Address: www.fvap.ncr.gov E-mail: vote@fvap.ncr.gov

HAWAII UNIT VOTING ASSISTANCE OFFICERS

The following are names and phone numbers of Unit Voting Assistance Officers you may contact for additional information:

This Factsheet is intended for informational purposes only and should not be used as an authority on the Hawaii election law and deadlines. Requirements and/or deadlines may change pending changes in legislation. Consult the Hawaii Revised Statues and other sources for more detailed and accurate requirements.

Office of Elections 802 Lehua Avenue Pearl City, Hawaii 96782 Phone: 808-453-VOTE(8683) Neighbor Island Toll Free: 1-800-442-VOTE(8683) TTY: 808-453-6150 Internet: www.hawaii.gov/elections

Office of Elections - FSVS516I

Rev: January 2008