(C) Daily Kos This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . Know any (New) Ex Pats? Pass along this info. Read this even if you don't think you know any [1] ['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.'] Date: 2024-06-22 We want more people to vote blue! There are two main ways to do this: Changing people’s minds (possible, but not always easy) Helping people to vote blue who are so inclined but who may have some obstacles Today we’re going to talk about the second category, especially voting from abroad. Some races are really tight. Kris Mayes, the D Attorney General in Arizona, won her race by a mere 280 votes, less than the number of Ds who voted for her from overseas. Thanks to her, we have prosecutions of fake electors. Thanks to her, we are working to take on the rent collusion that has been hurting so many people with respect to housing costs (and enriching Harlan Crow). Votes matter. Scroll down and see how to help expats vote. Are you an expat (an American living outside the US)? Do you know someone who is an expat, especially a new one? Such as a student who is abroad this fall? Or someone who just accepted a new position in another country? They may not know how to vote. They may have been more concerned about setting up life in a new place. They care about the elections, but are clueless how to go about it. But in most cases, they can still vote and make a difference. They should go to the votefromabroad.org website. Please copy and send them the link. It provides information using a drop down menu on each state. That’s it. That’s all YOU need to do, unless you are an expat yourself. If it is a young voter, you may want to help them through the screens. But the site gives more information. Note that the rules are different for every state. I vote in Arizona, and I can do everything by email, including returning my ballot. I did not check all the other states, but some do more by snail mail. Now, expats get their ballots really early, but voters may still need to get moving to make sure their ballots get counted. Here’s one of the answers to a FAQ. As an overseas voter, you need to send in the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) to request a ballot (and register to vote if necessary). You choose your voter category on the form. If you're a civilian overseas voter, then your choices are: "I intend to return" or "my intent to return is uncertain." Some states also provide an option for "I've never lived in the US." (For more information about these categories, see: "Should I choose 'I intend to return' or 'My intent to return is uncertain'?") After your state receives and accepts your FPCA, your state will send a ballot listing all the races you're eligible to vote in. All US overseas voters have the right to vote for federal offices (that is, for President, US Senate and US House of Representatives). However, each state decides if some or all of its overseas voters may vote in state elections (such as Governor, state legislature and ballot measures), based on which voter category you choose: If you indicate on your FPCA that you "intend to return": Every state will send a ballot that includes state elections. If you indicate on your FPCA that your "intent to return is uncertain": 33 states will send a ballot that includes state elections. The remaining 18 states will send "return uncertain" and “never lived in the US” voters a ballot with federal elections only. The 18 states that do not provide a state ballot to "return uncertain” and “never lived in the US” voters are: Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida (some counties), Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, Utah, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. *Note: Registering to vote does not change your tax status. But selecting “intend to return” rather than “my return is uncertain” may be one of several factors your state uses to determine whether you may be subject to state income tax. (Eight states — Alaska, Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming—do not impose a state income tax.) Before you note that you “intend to return” on your form, you may consider seeking advice on these matters from a tax professional. Choosing “intend to return” gives you more power. Perhaps the expats you know are already team blue! In that case, you can send them to DemocratsAbroad.org. Thanks for reading! Now, time to do. Think of expat people who could vote team blue. Then let’s make this a blue tsunami and help save the planet. 🐦 I do a lot of other writing. A recentoffering: the Crow Nickels (chronicles), a trilogy about crows who want to savebirdkind from extinction: Huntersof the Feather, Scavengers of Mindand Familiars of the Flock(They’re really good! They’re really cheap! Buy and review or rate positively!And Hunters is also available on Audible!)Other stories, based on Jane Austen novels — such as TheMeryton Murders — and others based on history and Greek mythology,such as Jocasta:The Mother-Wife of Oedipus, can be found here.All titles are available through Kindle Unlimited, but I only get paid if youturn the pages. [END] --- [1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2024/6/22/2247812/-Know-any-New-Ex-Pats-Pass-along-this-info-Read-this-even-if-you-don-t-think-you-know-any?pm_campaign=front_page&pm_source=trending&pm_medium=web Published and (C) by Daily Kos Content appears here under this condition or license: Site content may be used for any purpose without permission unless otherwise specified. via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds: gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/dailykos/