Posted on 02/08/2020 2:47:45 AM PST by Robert TG
I am an American born citizen, living overseas for the last 45 years. I have never voted in a presidential election but this time I would like to support President Trump. But since the president will win by Electoral College votes, and I don't live in an American state...will my vote actually help him? What happens to the votes of people who don't have a residence in the USA? I was born and raised in NY, lived in Texas, stayed in California a number of times for weeks at a time, but my residence has been overseas in Australia. What would be the best way to get my vote to actually matter in November? And How would I register to vote? Despite my age, I am a "new voter" and any advice would be helpful. I am just one vote and wonder if it will count for anything. Thank you in advance any advice would be helpful.
I don’t see why you couldn’t just go with your last US address. You actually lived there before you became an ex-pat.
I suppose if you like you could contact a place “you wish to return home to” even if you don’t and you could vote just about anywhere.
Good friends with anyone still living in Texas?
Vote in VA. We need the help.
Contact your local American Embassy and they will fill you in on how to vote.
“Contact your local American Embassy and they will fill you in on how to vote.”
Or tell you that you can’t... I wouldn’t mention who you want to vote for, they might be Obama folks. lol
Try calling the voter registration office for the area you last lived in the states, and see what they say. They could possibly refer you somewhere else for answers. Another thought is to go to the nearest American consulate or embassy and see what they might have to say. Bring your passport and any other paperwork such as your birth certificate, marriage license, and anything else that might identify you and prove any statements you might need to make, as well as proof of current address and any local identification..Then you are in a position to save some time or energy. If they request something you don’t have on you, your workload is easier or you have time to acquire what you might need. Bring any visas you might have..anything government or official as well as proof of employment. Be prepared. Desk jockeys appreciate it when you make their job easier and tend to put in a little more effort for you.
And yes, your one solitary vote could be the one that tips the scale for alloted deligates/electoral vote in favor of your candidate.
the state you last lived in is your state of legal residence for voting purposes. You need to register and request an absentee ballot.
Start here - click on the last state you lived in:
https://www.fvap.gov/citizen-voter/registration-ballots
also there are several subheadings at the bottom of that page that will link you to expat voting pamphlets and such
I cannot speak to your rights as American citizen, if you’ve lived outside the country most of your adult life and how that affects your right to vote or the procedure you need to follow to get your vote counted.
However, I can speak to your idea that you are just one vote. In Alberta, back in 2015, we were upset at the governing pc’s, because we didn’t think they were being as responsible with our tax dollars or oil revenue as they should have been. So, we split the vote between the PC’s and the Wildrose party. We also stayed home to register our disappointment.
The consequence was that there was enough of a difference in voting patterns that the NDP was able to walk up the middle and win the election. Consequence to their winning, they jacked up my provincial’s debt to about $70 billion, from $17 billion, and they ran our oil industry, with the help of the Federal Quebec party and Justine Trueshit, into the ground. We lost about $100 billion investment of the province as well as another $100 billion in tax revenue. And our unesteemed Prime Monster took another $100 billion from our province to give to King Quebec, just because he could.
Your one vote may make all the difference in the world and you need to have the mindset that, if you don’t cast that vote, that the Dems will win and they will set about full-bore in turning America into a socialist hellhole.
I do not exaggerate the concern you should have for your country, because you only need to lose the next election to have your nightmares come true.
Your absentee ballot should get returned to the area where you were residing and tabulated in that areas count.
Look at your passport front page, the one with your picture. What is the address there? That is where you vote. Get an absentee ballot from the embassy for voting in that state. Mail it in. Or use DHS.
Th reply in Post 10 is they way to go. Now depending on where your last residence was, when it comes time to vote you have a few options. Make sure you get your request in before the deadlines ( it is usually about the beginning of October ). Now you can vote by regular mail or by email ( though your email ballot isn’t private , so you are relying on the person at the Board of Elections not to “lose” your vote if it is not for the one they prefer ). If you vote by regular mail, Federal Express offers free mailing of your ballot. Just bring the ballot to the nearest Federal Express outlet and it will be mailed for you .
http://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/while-abroad/voting.html
If CA was your last residence, your vote will be important in the popular count, but also, you can vote against whatever liberal idiots are in your voting districts. It’s not just about the president. Whomever gets power in a state can affect the federal elections.
As a general rule, your state and community of last residence in the US is where you would register to vote. This can be done by mail, with voting also done by mail. Be warned that you might thereby become subject to state income tax in the state where you register. Talk to your consulate or embassy for clarification and assistance.
Btt
Bump
Yes, the Embassy or Consulate will have the information and forms that you need. Military bases too if you have access to one of them.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.