OHIO TO HOLD A SPECIAL PRIMARY ELECTION ON NOVEMBER 6, 2007 FOR REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE 5TH DISTRICT

On Tuesday, November 6^th, 2007 there will be a special primary election in Ohio’s 5^th Congressional District to fill the seat of Representative Paul Gillmor. To determine if your legal residence is in the 5^th Congressional District,  you can click on “Communicating with Your Elected Officials”, then “Who is my Representative?” at the Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) website, www.fvap.gov/comm/communicating.html.

The winners of this special primary election will compete in a special general election to be held on Tuesday, December 11, 2007.

VAOs should contact those citizens they assist who are Ohio voters and inform them of this news release and provide help to them in returning their absentee ballot.

REGISTERING TO VOTE AND REQUESTING A BALLOT:
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. The online version of the FPCA is available from the FVAP website at www.fvap.gov/pubs/onlinefpca.html. 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 (either Democrat or Republican) 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. 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.

APPLICATION FOR BALLOT BY PROXY:
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.  

RECEIVING YOUR BALLOT:
Ohio allows members of the U.S. Uniformed Services and their family members to receive the blank ballot by fax.

RETURNING YOUR BALLOT:
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.

Ohio does not allow return of the voted ballot by fax.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
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/

The FVAP can be contacted via 1-800-438-8683. Citizens may reach the FVAP toll-free from 67 countries using the toll-free numbers listed on the FVAP website, www.fvap.gov/services/tollfree.html. Questions regarding the above may also be referred to the Director, Federal Voting Assistance Program, Department of Defense, 1155 Defense Pentagon, Washington, DC, 20301-1155, vote@fvap.ncr.gov and on the World Wide Web at www.fvap.gov.