VOTING INFORMATION NEWS                   November 2007 - Vol. 17, No. 11

A roundup of voting news from the Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) for voters, potential voters and those who assist voters.

PRIMARY ELECTIONS, GENERAL ELECTIONS, BOTH ARE IMPORTANT!

The 2008 elections are currently scheduled to officially begin with several Presidential Preference Primaries in January.

Primary elections play an important role in the electoral process. Why? Because the names that appear on the general election ballot on November 4th, 2008 are the candidates that were chosen during the primary election process. The following is important information that pertains to the electoral process.

A primary election is an election that selects a candidate(s) that will represent the party in a general election. The winning candidate is the one who amasses the largest percentage of the votes during the primary election. This should not be confused with a majority. A majority is a number greater than half of the total votes cast in an election. The winner of a primary election does not necessarily receive a majority of the votes. What this means is that the higher the voter turnout the greater the possibility that the winner is indeed a true representative of the population at large. Voters who participate in these primaries can have a great impact on their outcome.

Voters in state primaries select their party’s candidates for state and federal offices such as President and Vice-President, Governor, U.S. Senator, and member of the U.S. House of Representatives. Voter participation is crucial in any election and primaries are no different.

Primary elections will be starting early than ever in 2008. The District of Columbia, Florida, Michigan, and South Carolina will be holding their Presidential Preference Primaries in January. Twenty states will hold their Presidential Preference Primaries in February. Additionally, states will be holding their state primary elections from February through October.

Because dates for Presidential Preference primaries and state primaries are spread throughout the year, be sure to consult the 2008 Election Calendar for election dates in your state.

The Election Dates poster is available through your normal supply channels. The calendar is also available in Appendix I of the 2008-09 Voting Assistance Guide (VAG) and is updated on the FVAP website, www.fvap.gov.

VOTING ASSISTANCE GUIDE UPDATES
Every year, information printed in the Voting Assistance Guide changes. Some states move primary election dates, or make new electronic alternatives available to voters. The following list the changes made to the 2008-09 Voting Assistance Guide since publication. The list is available on the FVAP website at <http://fvap.gov/pubs/vag/ vagerrata.html>, and is updated whenever changes are made to the text of the Guide.

Department of State
Inside front cover
Remove Ms. Stefanie Eye and her phone number Replace with:
Mr. Peter B. Platukis
Phone: (202) 647-3441
Arkansas
Page 49

Changes ballot return deadline for the Presidential Primary and General Election for uniformed services to reflect that the ballots must be received no later than 10 days after the election.

Arizona
Page 43

The Arizona Presidential Preference Election has changed to February 5, 2008.

* Pursuant to A.R.S. § 16-241(B) on August 21, 2007, the Governor of Arizona issued a proclamation moving the Presidential Preference Election to Tuesday, February 5 2008.

This changes the following deadlines for the Presidential Primary Election ONLY:

Uniformed Services

Registration: February 5, 2008

Registration by other means: January 7, 2008 Request (FPCA): February 5, 2008 Ballot Request by other means: January 24, 2008 Ballot Return: February 5, 2008

Civilians Outside the US

Registration: February 5, 2008
Ballot Request: February 5, 2008
Ballot Return: February 5, 2008

Florida
Page 97

Putnam County Address Edit: Remove "Building 1-7" from the address information listed for the county.

Michigan*
Page 201

The Presidential Primary Date: Replace "To Be Determined" with date: January 15, 2008.

This changes the following deadlines for the Presidential Primary Election ONLY:

• Uniformed Services Registration: Replace "To Be Determined" with: January 15, 2008.
• Uniformed Services Ballot Request (FPCA): Replace "To Be Determined" with: January 12, 2008.
• Uniformed Services Ballot Return: Replace "To Be Determined" with: January 15, 2008.
• Civilians Outside the US Registration: Replace "To Be Determined" with: January 15, 2008.
• Civilians Outside the US Ballot Request: Replace "To Be Determined" with: January 12, 2008.
• Civilians Outside the US Ballot Return: Replace "To Be Determined" with: January 15, 2008.
• Changes to Appendix I, 2008 Primary Elections by State Page 459 Michigan Presidential Primary Date: Replace "To Be Determined" with date: January 15, 2008.
• Changes to Appendix I, 2008 Presidential and State Primaries by Month Page 460 Michigan Presidential Primary Date: Insert new row in January table with: Michigan 01/15 (P)

Please update your Election Dates Poster (EDP08) with the new Presidential Primary date.

*Michigan Public Act 52 of 2007 (SB 624) directs that a presidential primary be conducted in Michigan on Tuesday, January 15, 2008.

Montana
Page 229

Changes are in the fourth column (General Election), third row (Ballot Request) for both Deadlines for Uniformed Services and Deadlines for Civilians Outside the U.S. Ballot request If Registered should be November 3, 2008 and Ballot Request If Not Registered should be October 6, 2008.

Ohio
Page 298

Geauga County Address Edit: Remove "215 Main St." from the address information listed for the county.

Rhode Island
Page 329

Changes registration deadline for citizens outside the U.S. to reflect that registration is waived.

South Carolina
Page 335

The Republican Presidential Primary Date has been moved to January 19, 2008. This changes the following deadlines for the Republican Presidential Primary ONLY:

Deadlines for Uniformed Services:

Registration December 19, 2007
Ballot Request January 15, 2008
Ballot Return January 19, 2008

Deadlines for Civilians Outside the U.S.:

Registration December 19, 2007
Ballot Request January 15, 2008
Ballot Return January 19, 2008

Tennessee
Page 347

Changes deadline for absentee ballot request for Presidential Primary, State Primary and General elections

Deadlines for Uniformed Services Ballot Request:

Presidential Primary January 29, 2008
State Primary July 31, 2008
General October 28, 2008

Deadlines for Civilians Outside the U.S. Ballot Request:
Presidential Primary January 29, 2008

State Primary July 31, 2008
General October 28, 2008

Pages 349 and 351

Changes the web address of the Tennessee voter registration form tennessee.gov/sos/election/ss-3010.pdf

Pages 349, 350 and 351

Changes "five" days to "seven" days where referring to ballot request deadline before the election.

Virginia
Page 396

Loudoun County Address Change: Replace old address:

Loudoun General Registrar
26-C Fairfax Street, SE
Leesburg, VA 20175-3621

With the new address:
Loudoun General Registrar
801 Sycolin Rd, Suite 102, SE
Leesburg, VA 20175-5686
Wisconsin

Page 415

Changes the web address of the Wisconsin list of Municipal Clerks

OHIO SPECIAL CONGRESSIONAL PRIMARY ELECTION

On Tuesday, November 6th, 2007 there will be a special primary election in Ohio’s 5th Congressional District to fill the seat of Representative Paul Gillmor. The winners of this special primary election will compete in a special general election to be held on Tuesday, December 11, 2007.

All members of the U.S. Uniformed Services, their family members and citizens residing outside the U.S. who are Ohio residents from the 5th District should request a ballot for this special primary election by completing and submitting a Federal Post Card Application (FPCA), SF-76, as soon as possible, if you have not done so already in calendar year 2007. Specific instructions for Ohio are available at: http://www.fvap.gov/pubs/vag/ pdfvag/oh.pdf.

Because this is a partisan primary election, you must indicate your party affiliation when applying for your ballot.

The County Board of Elections must receive applications for registration and request for absentee ballot not later than Tuesday, October 9, 2007. If you are already registered, the County Board of Elections must receive your absentee ballot request not later than noon on Saturday, November 3.

Ohio allows members of the U.S. Uniformed Services and their family members to send the FPCA for ballot request by fax, and to receive the blank ballot by fax. After faxing, submit the original FPCA by mail. Use the following toll-free fax numbers for the U.S. and Canada: 1-800-368-8683, (703) 693-5527 or DSN 223-5527 (military). At www.fvap.gov/services/ faxing.html, there is a list of additional toll-free fax numbers from overseas countries. Ohio does not allow faxing of the FPCA for registration or for the voted ballot to be returned by fax.

If you are a member of the Armed Forces on active duty, or the spouse or dependent of a member of the Armed Forces on active duty, your father, mother, father-in-law, mother-in-law, grandfather, grandmother, brother, sister, son, daughter, stepparent, stepchild, uncle, aunt, nephew, or niece may request an absentee ballot for you, using either a special form provided by the county board or an FPCA.

When returned within the U.S., your ballot will be counted if it arrives at the appropriate county board of election’s office not later than the close of polls on November 6, 2007. If you are voting from outside the U.S., your ballot will be counted if it arrives at the appropriate county board of elections not later than November 16, 2007, as long as it is signed not later than the close of polls on election day.

State specific information on your precinct, candidates, elections, and voting is available at the Ohio Secretary of State website, http://www.sos.state.oh.us/ <http://www.sos.state.oh.us> .