FVAP makes voting easy, official says

Published April 15, 2016
By John Parker
Staff Writer

TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- All it takes for a military member or their voting-age family members to vote in upcoming elections is access to the Internet and a printer.

That's the easiest way, said Kenneth Warford, deputy director of the Federal Voting Assistance Program. If that's not possible, it's still easy to contact voting assistance officers already in place within all Tinker AFB units with military personnel or the Installation VAO, Jon Leathers.

"We want to make sure that anyone who has a desire to vote is aware that there's a law that protects their right to vote and that they have the ability to do so from anywhere in the world, whether it be via our website or via a hard copy form that they mail to their local official," Mr. Warford said.

Mr. Warford trained a number of unit VAOs on April 6 at the Tinker Club. He advised that military personnel (even those deployed) and their spouses apply now to be eligible to vote by absentee ballot in local and national elections based on their resident status in all 50 states and U.S. territories.

Mr. Warford said the key online website for signing up is FVAP.gov. He said a great place to begin is on the site's home page.

"There's a red box in the upper left hand corner called 'Voters Start here', and it's where you need to start," Mr. Warford said. "Find your state in the drop down box, click on that state and start using the online assistant at the bottom of that page."

After the online assistant walks a military member, spouse or eligible dependent through the application, voters can print out a PDF packet with instructions on how to deliver the voting documents to their local election officials in their home state.
With each state setting its own election processes, the online assistant helps voters avoid having to look up their state's election rules, Mr. Warford said. The program automatically keeps track of deadlines and looks for errors, much like tax preparation software.

For information about any Tinker voting assistance resources, contact your unit VAO, Mr. Leathers at 734-4517 or Master Sgt. Wyll Yabut at 734-8683 or email tinker.vote@us.af.mil. You can also visit the Installation Voting Office at the Airman and Family Resources Center in Bldg. 6001.

Col. Stephanie Wilson, 72nd Air Base Wing and Tinker installation commander, thanked the VAOs who attended the training.

"We, as Americans, get the opportunity to be part of the election process, and you as voting assistance officers give us that opportunity," the colonel said. "You facilitate that because as service members we could be anywhere at any given time. Thanks for being a part of this. It definitely makes a huge difference."

The FVAP advises that military members and dependents submit a Federal Post Card Application for voting every January and with each move at least 90 days prior to an election.

Permitted political activities
A member of the armed forces on active duty may:

· Register, vote and express personal opinions on political candidates and public issues.

· Encourage other military members to exercise voting rights.

· Join a political club (even if partisan) and attend political meetings when not in uniform.

· Sign petitions for specific legislative action or to place a candidate's name on the ballot.

· Write letters to the editor expressing personal views (so long as not part of organized letter writing campaign or solicitation of votes for or against a political party or partisan political cause or candidate). Requires a disclaimer that the views are those of the individual and not DOD.

· Make permissible monetary contributions to a political organization, party or committee.

· Display a bumper sticker on a member's private vehicle.

· Attend a partisan or nonpartisan political fundraising activity, meeting, rally, debate, convention or activity when not in uniform and when no appearance of sponsorship or endorsement can reasonably be drawn.

Prohibited political activities

A member of the armed forces on active duty shall not:

· Participate in partisan political fundraising activities, rallies, conventions, management of campaigns or debates. The prohibition is broad and does not depend on whether a member is in uniform or even whether an inference of official endorsement can be drawn.

· Use official authority or influence to interfere with an election, affect the course or outcome of an election, solicit votes for a particular candidate or issue, or require or solicit political contributions from others.

· Publish partisan political articles or letters that solicit votes for or against a partisan political party, candidate or cause. Letters to the editor may be allowed as noted above.

· Participate in any radio, television or other program or group discussion as an advocate for or against a partisan political party, candidate or cause.

· Serve in official capacity/sponsor a partisan political club.

· Conduct a political opinion survey or distribute political literature.

· Speak before a partisan political gathering.

· Work for a partisan political committee or candidate during a campaign, on election day or while closing out a campaign.

· Engage in fundraising activity for any political candidate or cause in federal offices, facilities or on military reservations.

· March or ride in partisan parades.

· Participate in organized efforts to provide voters transportation to polling places if the effort is associated with a partisan political party.

· Sell tickets for or actively promote partisan political dinners and similar fundraising events.

· Make a campaign contribution to or receive or solicit a campaign contribution from any other member of the armed forces on active duty.

· Display a partisan political sign visible to the public at one's residence on a military installation.

Participation in local nonpartisan political activities is allowed, so long as:
· Not in uniform.

· No use of government property or resources.

· No interference with duty.

· No implied government position or involvement.