The Department of Defense announced plans today for Armed Forces Voters Week, which begins Sept. 3. This event is being held to encourage all citizens voting under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, who have not registered to vote or requested an absentee ballot this year, to do so as soon as possible.

Commanders and voting assistance officers will use this event as an opportunity to inform these U.S. citizens about obtaining an absentee ballot for remaining state primaries and the Nov. 2 general election. They will conduct final voting workshops and registration drives for all eligible personnel and their family members. The voting assistance officers also will join together and enlist the help of other on base organizations, such as wives clubs, family services, Boy and Girl Scouts and other groups to help get out the vote and coordinate voter outreach events.

During these events, commanders and voting assistance officers will emphasize the importance of registering to vote and requesting an absentee ballot. They will also use this opportunity to remind eligible personnel to return their voted ballots as soon as possible to allow sufficient transit time back to their local election official.

The support of commanders and voting assistance officers is critical to the success of theFederal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP), which can be contacted through the DoD Voting Information Center (VIC). Citizens may reach the VIC toll-free from 66 countries using the toll-free numbers listed on the FVAP website at http://www.fvap.gov. In the U.S., call toll-free at 1(800) 438-VOTE (8683), local (703) 588-1584 or use DSN 425-1584. Additionally, the FVAP can be reached via e-mail at vote@fvap.ncr.gov