Your vote, your right, your privilege

Airman, Oct, 2004 by Jim Garamone

WASHINGTON--General elections are approaching in one month, and voting officials are reminding everyone to cast their ballots on time.

Though some deadlines have passed for registration, individuals should check the federal government's voting information site www.fvap.gov for their state-specific rules and dates. Mailing ballots for overseas servicemembers should be done during or before Overseas Voting Week Oct. 11-15.

"If they do mail their ballot, even from the remotest part of the world, to the remotest part of the United States, the ballot material should get back to the ballot official in sufficient time to be counted in the Nov. 2 election," said Charles Abell, principal deputy undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness.

Servicemembers consistently beat the general population in the percentage of people who vote. In the 1996 general election, only 49 percent of eligible Americans voted, but 64 percent of those In uniform did. In 2000, 51 percent of Americans voted, and 69 percent of servicemembers did.

Jim Garamone

American Forces Press Service