Some States Permit Registration, Voting Via Fax

By Master Sgt. Stephen Barrett, USA
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Jan. 25, 1996 – The electronic age will help some military voters receive their absentee ballots for the 1996 federal election.

By using a fax machine and Federal Post Card Application (Standard Form 76), service members can register to vote, apply for absentee ballots and receive blank absentee ballots.

According the Voting Assistance Guide 1996-97, a total of 36 states, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands permit service members to fax absentee ballot requests. Most of those states also allow voter registration by fax.

For those sending voting material via fax, all requests must go through the Federal Voting Assistance Program in Washington at DSN 223-5527, (703) 693-5527 or (800) 368-8683.

Program officials urge voters not to fax materials to state election boards. They say by faxing materials to Washington, officials can protect "the integrity of the voting process and to provide an audit trail if needed."

Although many states or territories accept voter registrations and ballot requests by fax, only 19 will send the blank ballot electronically. Of those, only Hawaii, Kansas, Louisiana, North Dakota and the U.S. Virgin Islands will accept marked ballots via fax without question.

Indiana, Maine, Montana, New Jersey, South Carolina, Utah and Washington will accept completed ballots only in emergencies.

For more information about voter registration, ballot requests and voting via fax, contact the unit voting assistance officer or call the voter assistance hotline at (800) 438-8683


STATE/TERRITORY

Alabama
Alaska
American Samoa
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
District of Columbia
Florida
Georgia
Guam
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Puerto Rico
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virgin Islands
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming

Column 2Accepts Completed
FPCA by FAX

No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes1
Yes2
Yes
No
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes3
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes1
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes4
No
Yes2
No
No
No
Yes2
Yes1
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
Yes5
No
Yes
Yes
Yes5
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Yes2
No
Column 3
Fax Blank
Absentee Ballot

No
No
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
Yes
Yes5
No
Yes5
No
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
No
No
No
Yes6
No
Yes4
No
Yes
No
No
No
Yes
No
No
Yes
No
No
No
Yes5
No
No
No
Yes5
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Column 4
Will Received
Complete Absentee
Ballot By Fax


No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
Yes
No
No
Yes5
No
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
No
No
No
Yes6
No
No
No
Yes2
No
No
No
Yes
No
No
No
No
No
No
Yes5
No
No
No
Yes5
No
Yes
No
Yes6
No
No
No

N/A

1 - For absentee ballot requests only
2 - Requestor must also mail request/ballot
3 - For military personnel only
4 - For personnel living outside United States
5 - In emergency situations
6 - In some counties