Embassy of the United States of America in El Salvador

Voting News Release #7
February 15, 2008

California to hold a Special Primary Election on April 8, 2008 followed by a Special Election on June 3, 2008 for a Representative in Congress from the 12th District

On Tuesday, April 8, 2008 there will be a Special Primary election in the 12th Congressional District of California to select candidates to fill the seat of Representative Tom Lantos. This Special Primary election will be followed by a Special Election (to be held concurrently with the State Primary election on June 3, 2008) to elect the Representative from the 12th Congressional District. To determine if your legal residence is in the 12th Congressional District (San Francisco County and San Mateo County), 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
VAOs should contact those citizens they assist who are California 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 California residents from the 12th District should request a ballot for these Special elections 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 2008. The online version of the FPCA is available from the FVAP website at www.fvap.gov/pubs/fpca.html. Specific instructions for California are available at: http://www.fvap.gov/pubs/vag/pdfvag/ca.pdf.

Voters who are California residents from the 12th District and have already requested a ballot for the Presidential Primary on February 5, 2008 or the State Primary on June 3, 2008 will automatically receive this ballot, and need not take any further action.

The County Registrar of Voters must receive the request for an absentee ballot not later than Tuesday, April 1, 2008. If you are not registered, the County Registrar of Voters must receive the request for registration and an absentee ballot not later than Monday, March 24, 2008.

California allows Uniformed Services and overseas citizen voters 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/tollfree.html#fax, there is a list of additional toll-free fax numbers from overseas countries.

RECEIVING YOUR BALLOT:

California allows voters outside the U.S. to receive the blank ballot by fax. Be sure to provide your complete fax number to include country codes when requesting a blank ballot by fax.

RETURNING YOUR BALLOT:

When returned, your ballot will be counted if it arrives at the appropriate Registrar of Voters Office not later than 8:00 pm Pacific Daylight Time on the day of the election.

California allows return of the voted ballot by fax. The message must contain a scanned copy of your signature on a waiver of ballot secrecy. A transmittal sheet meeting this requirement is available at www.fvap.gov/pubs/vag/appendix_b.pdf.Mail the original ballot after faxing.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

State specific information on your precinct, candidates, elections, and voting is available at the California Elections Division website, http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/elections_cd12.htm..

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.