FEDERAL VOTING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

February 26, 2006: Late Counting for Absentee Ballots for Texas - Primary Election of March 7, 2006

There has been a delay in the mailing of absentee ballots to Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) citizens from Texas for the March 7, 2006 primary election.  Because of the delay, Texas is allowing the late counting of absentee ballots from UOCAVA voters until March 20, 2006.  Uniformed service members, their family members, and overseas citizens who have not yet received their requested state absentee ballot may use the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (Standard Form 186) (FWAB) to vote for candidates for Federal, state, and local offices for the March 7, 2006 primary election.  All ballots must be placed in delivery by 7:00 p.m. Central Standard Time on Tuesday, March 7, 2006 and received no later than March 20, 2006.  The FWAB is available from unit Voting Assistance Officers (VAO), at embassies or consulates, and is also available from the FVAP website at http://www.fvap.gov/pubs/ofwab.pdf.

This section applies only to Armed Forces voters receiving hostile fire pay, imminent danger pay or in a combat zone.  Texas voters who are members of the U.S. Armed Forces on active duty overseas, or the spouse or dependent of a member, and casting the ballot from an area in which members of the Armed Forces are eligible to receive hostile fire pay or imminent danger pay, or that has been designated by the President of the U.S. as a combat zone, are authorized to submit the voted ballot, including the FWAB, by fax.  Voters should be aware that by faxing the ballot they are waiving the right to secrecy of their vote for this election and must sign a waiver that will be included in the faxed ballot materials.  A voter returning the voted ballot by fax which was either received by mail or by fax should refer to Appendix B of the 2006-2007 Voting Assistance Guide (located at http://www.fvap.gov/pubs/vag/pdfvag/appendix_b.pdf) for instructions and a cover sheet (which includes a secrecy waiver) for use when transmitting the voted ballot by fax.  Voters should be sure to fax the entire ballot including any oath or signature required on the ballot-mailing envelope.  See below for FVAP toll-free fax numbers.  Voters may also fax their voted ballot directly to the local election official in their county of residence; fax numbers are located at http://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/voter/county.shtml.  Voters must provide a return transmission fax number (including international prefixes) on all documents sent via fax.  Additionally, voters may scan the voted state ballot or the voted FWAB with the completed Voter Declaration/Affirmation, and email them to ets@fvap.ncr.gov.  All faxed or emailed ballots must be placed in delivery by 7:00 p.m. Central Standard Time on Tuesday, March 7, 2006.

Further information on your precinct, candidates, elections, and voting is available at the Texas Secretary of State website, www.sos.state.tx.us.

The FVAP can be contacted through the DoD Voting Information Center (VIC). Citizens may reach the VIC toll-free from 67 countries using the toll-free numbers listed on the FVAP website, www.fvap.gov The VIC provides recorded messages from candidates, as well as other information concerning elections, 24 hours a day.

Questions regarding the above may also be referred to the Director, Federal Voting Assistance Program, Department of Defense, 1155 Defense Pentagon, vote@fvap.ncr.gov and on the World Wide Web at www.fvap.gov

Visit the US Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs or the Federal Voting Assistance Program website for more information. 

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