October 12, 2010

The U.S. Embassy in Tokyo is transmitting the following information through the Embassy's warden system as a public service to all U.S. citizens in Japan. Please disseminate this message to U.S. citizens in your organizations or to other Americans you know.

Attention U.S. citizen voters:

The following 25 states, or parts of these states, are participating in an Electronic Voting System project:

If you vote in one of these states/counties, you should follow the instructions in the Electronic Voting System Fact Sheet below to find your respective state, and use all of the voting options available to you through www.FVAP.gov. Many of these state tools allow you to use a full ballot reflecting all contests (federal, state, and local). Follow the instructions for returning the voted ballot.

If you subsequently receive your blank state ballot from your state after submitting the online ballot, you should vote and return the state ballot immediately. The state ballot will take priority over the electronic voting project ballot if both are received by the state deadline.

If you have already received, voted, and returned your state ballot, you should not participate in this project.

If you have questions about this project, or about voting, please contact the voting assistance officer at VoteTokyo@state.gov.

Electronic Voting Systems Fact Sheet

The following state websites allow voters to either mark their state ballot online or print a blank ballot for marking. These sites are accessible through FVAP.gov where the voter is directed to the options available to them based on their voting residence zip code.

• Alabama
  • Accessible through FVAP.gov, Alabama offers a state system which facilitates the use of the Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot
  • Accessible through FVAP.gov, state-specific link here
  • Voters must return the ballot by mail
  
  
  
• Arizona
  • Accessible through FVAP.gov, Arizona offers a state system which allows ballot delivery to the voter and return of the voted ballot to the election official
  • Accessible through FVAP.gov, state-specific link here
  • Voters are allowed to return voted ballots to local election officials via mail, email, fax or uploaded through the state system
  
  
  
• Colorado
  • Accessible through FVAP.gov, 4 counties (and expanding) have a site which allow voters to access the ballot for marking and printing. It is accessible through FVAP.gov, and the state-specific link for Gilpen, Morgan, Park and Weld Counties here
  • Accessible through FVAP.gov, county-specific link for El Paso County here
  • Military and dependent voters are allowed to return voted ballots to local election officials via email, fax and mail.
  • All other voters are allowed to return voted ballots to local election officials by mail or fax.
  
  
  
• Delaware
  • Accessible through FVAP.gov, all counties are participating.
  • Accessible through FVAP.gov, state-specific link here
  • Voters are allowed to return the voted ballot via mail, email or fax
  
  
  
• Georgia
  • Accessible through FVAP.gov, Georgia offers registered voters wh
  • requested electronic delivery of the ballot a system to access the ballot online
  • Accessible through FVAP.gov, state-specific link here
  • Voted ballots must be returned by mail.
  
  
  
• Idaho
  • Accessible through FVAP.gov, all counties are participating
  • Accessible through FVAP.gov, state-specific link here
  • In certain emergency situations, Idaho may allow you to return your voted ballot by email or fax. All other voted ballots must be returned by mail.
  
  
  
• Illinois
  • Accessible through FVAP.gov, Illinois offers voters an online system for accessing the ballot
  • Accessible through FVAP.gov, state-specific link here
  • Voted ballots must be returned by mail.
  
  
  
• Indiana
  • Accessible through FVAP.gov, all counties are participating.
  • Accessible through FVAP.gov, state-specific link here
  • Voters may return the voted ballot by mail, email or fax.
  
  
  
• Kentucky
  • Accessible through FVAP.gov, Kentucky offers voters an online system for accessing the ballot
  • Accessible through FVAP.gov, state-specific website here
  • Voted ballots must be returned by mail.
  
  
  
• Maine
  • Accessible through FVAP.gov, Maine allows voters to access the ballot online
  • Accessible through FVAP.gov, state-specific website here
  • In certain emergency or combat situations, voter may submit the voted ballot by fax or as an attachment by email. All other voters must return the voted ballot by mail.
  
  
  
• Maryland
  • Accessible through FVAP.gov, Maryland offers registered voters wh
  • requested electronic delivery of the ballot a system to access the ballot
  • Accessible through FVAP.gov, state-specific website here
  • Voters must return ballots by mail.
  
  
  
• Minnesota
  • Accessible through FVAP.gov, Minnesota offers voters a system to access the ballot online
  • Accessible through FVAP.gov, state-specific website here
  • Voters must return voted ballots by mail.
  
  
  
• Mississippi
  • Accessible through FVAP.gov, all counties are participating.
  • Accessible through FVAP.gov, state-specific link here
  • Voters may return the voted ballot by mail, email or fax.
  
  
  
• Missouri
  • Accessible through FVAP.gov, one county, Boone is participating.
  • Accessible through FVAP.gov, state-specific link here
  • Most voters are required to return their physical ballot by mail. If you are a military voter serving in a hostile fire area such as Iraq, Afghanistan, or Kosovo, you may return your voted ballot by mail, email or fax.
  
  
  
• Montana
  • Accessible through FVAP.gov, all counties are participating.
  • Accessible through FVAP.gov, state-specific link here
  • Voters may return the voted ballot by mail, email or fax.
  
  
  
• Nebraska
  • Accessible through FVAP.gov, all counties are participating.
  • Accessible through FVAP.gov, state-specific link here
  • Voters must return the voted ballot by mail.
  
  
  
• New Mexico
  • Accessible through FVAP.gov, two counties: Curry and Travis are participating.
  • Accessible through FVAP.gov, state-specific link here
  • Voters are allowed to return the voted ballot by mail, email or fax.
  
  
  
• Nevada
  • Accessible through FVAP.gov, 11 counties are participating. 10 counties: Elko, Esmeralda, Eureka, Humboldt, Lander, Lincoln, Nye, Pershing, Storey, and White Pine Accessible through FVAP.gov, state-specific link here
  • Voters are allowed to return the voted ballot by mail, email or fax.
  
  
  
• New York
  • Accessible through FVAP.gov, all counties are participating. State-specific link here
  • Voters must return the voted ballot by mail.
  
  
  
• Pennsylvania
  • Accessible through FVAP.gov, Pennsylvania offers a state system which allows voters to access the blank and return ballot online. State specific link here
  • Voters must return the voted ballot by mail.
  
  
  
• Rhode Island
  • Accessible through FVAP.gov, Rhode Island offers voters a system to access the ballot online. State-specific website here
  • Voters are allowed to return the voted ballot by mail, email or fax
  
  
  
• Texas
  • Accessible through FVAP.gov, Texas offers a state system which allows online ballot marking and printing by the voter
  • State specific link here
  • The site only covers federal elections
  • Completed ballots must be returned by mail
  
  
  
• Utah
  • Accessible through FVAP.gov, 11 counties are participating: Beaver, Box Elder, Cache, Davis, Kane, Salt Lake, Sanpete, Summit, Tooele, Washington, and Weber. The state-specific link is here.
  • Voters are allowed to return the voted ballot by mail, email or fax
  
  
  
• Washington
  • Accessible through FVAP.gov, one county, Yakima, is participating.
  • Accessible through FVAP.gov, state-specific link here
  • Completed ballots must be returned by mail.
  
  
  
• West Virginia
  • Accessible through FVAP.gov, West Virginia offers a state system to eight counties which allows ballot delivery to the voter and return of the voted ballot to the election official online.

    Eight counties: Jackson, Kanawha, Marshall, Mason, Monongalia, Monroe, Putnam, Wood

    State-specific link here.

  • Accessible through FVAP.gov, 45 counties are participating, the state-specific link ishere.
  • Voters are allowed to return the voted ballot via mail, email, and fax