I’d like to take a moment to talk to my fellow Americans in Canada.

Election Day is November 6, 2012.  If there’s anything we Americans have learned in over two centuries of running elections, it’s that every single vote counts.  It doesn’t matter whether you’re in Ottawa, Illinois or Ottawa, Ontario. Your vote matters.

Voting requirements and procedures can vary from state to state, and it can sometimes be confusing figuring out where you’re registered, how to register, and how to obtain absentee ballots.  I hesitate to rely on the old joke “we’re from the government and we’re here to help you,” but in this case, both parts of that are true.  Consular staff in Ottawa and our Consulates across Canada stand ready to help you figure out what you need to do in order to vote.  We can refer you to the procedures for registering to vote and information on how to get your absentee ballot for all fifty states.  We have Federal Post Card Applications (FPCA) and Federal absentee ballots if it’s too late for you to receive a ballot from your U.S. home.  We can even help you mail them to your home precinct.

Contact us at VoteOTTAWA@state.gov or your closest U.S. consulate.  There’s also great information and help at the federal voting assistance program at http://fvap.gov.

President Franklin Roosevelt reminded us “Nobody will ever deprive the American people of the right to vote except the American people themselves and the only way they could do this is by not voting.”

Make your voice heard.  Vote.

Tags: 2012 Election, Abroad, absentee ballot, American Embassy, Ballot, Election, Overseas, overseas ballot, Presidential election, Vote, Voting

This entry was posted on Tuesday, October 2nd, 2012 at 10:59 am and is filed under October 2012. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.