Thread: Yanks in the LOS

Do you folks living here vote in the American general election? Absentee ballots? How's that work for Americans living overseas?

You fill out an application and mail it to the election office at the last place you lived in the States.

They send you a ballot which you fill out and must return before election day.

Piece of piss.

How does one wire a book?


Texpat, can't it be done through the Consular office at the embassy as well? (Too late now, anyway, I guess)

No, I don't think so -- they'll provide the application and mail it for you, but that's it. The ballot must come from the county clerk at your last home of record.

Yes, it is too late now unless you next-day deliver it. ($$) Don't even know if that option is available from here. I mailed mine a few days ago and wonder if it will make it -- I'll never know.

The postal system here is very dodgy -- sometimes I'll receive a letter from US east coast in six days. Sometimes it takes two months. Shit disappears, shows up opened, or delivered to my neighbor if I'm not home (do they know what a fcuking mailbox is for?)

Originally Posted by Rural Surin

Do you folks living here vote in the American general election? Absentee ballots? How's that work for Americans living overseas?

..

You request an absentee ballot be mailed to you overseas, vote, sign it, and mail it back.

Originally Posted by jim1176

Originally Posted by Rural Surin

Do you folks living here vote in the American general election? Absentee ballots? How's that work for Americans living overseas?

You writing a book up there?

A book? Sure. Will send you a first edition....

Originally Posted by Texpat

The postal system here is very dodgy -- sometimes I'll receive a letter from US east coast in six days. Sometimes it takes two months. Shit disappears, shows up opened, or delivered to my neighbor if I'm not home (do they know what a fcuking mailbox is for?)

I don't even bother with it anymore. If it's of any importance at all I just have it sent Fed-Ex. It is more expensive (though not always) but it's about as close to a 100% guaruntee of delivery as you're ever going to get and it's much, much quicker too boot.

Originally Posted by Texpat

I mailed mine a few days ago and wonder if it will make it -- I'll never know.

Obama will be glad you at least made the effort to vote for him.

Pretty good advice. But regarding the importance of my vote -- very little.
I'm not from California, but that's where I had to vote because it's the last places I lived in the US (I'm not really from anywhere).

So my vote essentially means nothing as California is a foregone conclusion.

Originally Posted by Texpat

Pretty good advice. But regarding the importance of my vote -- very little.
I'm not from California, but that's where I had to vote because it's the last places I lived in the US (I'm not really from anywhere).

So my vote essentially means nothing as California is a foregone conclusion.

Fair enough. Actually the only reason I even brought it up in this thread is that I just sent a package about 15min ago. Was going to be B500 to send EMS/Registered mail via Thai Post and Fed Ex was exactly the same so a no-brainer. I've even had stuff sent internally (CM -> BKK) via EMS go 'missing' before.

I'm not from California, but that's where I had to vote because it's the last places I lived in the US (I'm not really from anywhere).

That' a little odd, I assume that's because it's where your 'records' are? Could you not change it somehow (e.g. register at an address of friend/family)?

Originally Posted by AntRobertson

Could you not change it somehow

surely if you could do that, they'd all be registering in swing states like Ohio.

Originally Posted by ChiangMai noon

Originally Posted by AntRobertson

Could you not change it somehow

surely if you could do that, they'd all be registering in swing states like Ohio.

Good point. Though if it were a registered address requiring ties (e.g. family) that would mitigate it somewhat.

Although I know you can I've no idea what the process for absentee voting is in NZ as I've never bothered. But I'm pretty sure all you need to do is register an address for service. Different scenario granted, there being no 'State voting'.

There are certain rules, I think if I owned property in another state, I could vote there (I don't) -- but they're pretty straightforward. I only lived in Texas for 11 months when I was in my late teens, but voted there for many years because I changed my residency (no state income tax). Rules regarding state of legal residence are a bit different for servicemen.

Originally Posted by Texpat

(I'm not really from anywhere).

See, we have something in common!