Make sure the people who serve our country can get their voices heard

When you’re in the military, it’s easy to get swept up in all the moving parts. Training, deployments, PCSs - most times you’re so focused on the task at hand that you can forget about other, seemingly less pressing, duties.

For a lot of us, especially those new to the ranks, voting is one of those things that is easy to forget. But making sure you’re able to vote is actually something you don’t have to let slide.

For those of us who’ve done it, we found it pretty easy — in fact, there are just two steps to it! We’ll get to those later.

It’s alarming to know that many military members have no idea they can vote absentee while on active duty or serving away from where they want to vote.

Think about that. The folks putting their lives on the line for our country are missing out on their right to vote, just because they don’t know how.

We want ensure all military members know that they can vote, and we encourage everyone to share this info with others. It goes without saying that we have a duty to look out for each other, but let’s not forget that applies to ensuring we’re all getting our voices heard in this upcoming election.

Here’s what military members should know about voting absentee in 2016:

1. It’s a two-step process.

First, register and request your ballot with one form called the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA). Go to FVAP.gov (http://rly.pt/fvap-RP) and select the state or territory where you last resided or were registered to vote.

If you want to participate in the General Election on November 8, we recommend you fill out and send in your FPCA as soon as possible. Your state’s deadline may be later, which you can check at the FVAP website.
Second, when your absentee ballot arrives, fill it out and send it to your election office. Make sure you sign the enclosed affidavit or envelope as required by your state.

For the General Election, send your ballot back by October 10, 2016 if you’re on a ship at sea; October 15, 2016 if you’re outside the U.S., and November 1, 2016 if you’re stateside.

2. You can get help filling out your FPCA — online or in person.

FVAP’s online assistant offers tips on how to fill out the FPCA as you’re doing it. When you’re done, you can then download the populated form so all you have to do is print, sign and send it in. The instructions on where and how to send in your form by mail, email or fax — whatever your state allows — will be included.

Hard copies of the FPCA are also available at the Voting Assistance Office on your base or installation, and your Voting Assistance Officer (VAO) can help with anything you need.

3. It’s OK if you don’t get your ballot in time.

If you don’t get your ballot in time to vote before the deadline, that’s okay. Get a Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB) from FVAP. Fill it out and send it like your regular ballot.

4. You can check your ballot status.

Want to make sure your election office received your ballot? Check the status at the FVAP site and see when your election office receives it.

5. Your spouse can vote absentee too.

If military spouses live away from where they would like to vote, they can use the same two-step process above to register and request that their ballots be sent to them.