MS 253: Voter Assistance Program

Date: 10/31/89 v.2
Responsible Office: M/AS/G
Supercedes: MS 253, 10/14/82


1.0	Introduction
2.0	Responsibilities
3.0	Procedure
	3.1	Federal Post Card Application (FPCA)
		3.1.1	Use
		3.1.2	Witnessing
	3.2	Absentee Ballot
	3.3	"Voting Assistance Guide"
4.0	Effective date

Attachments

Attachment A:

Reference Standard Form 76 "Official Election Balloting Material-Via Air Mail"

1.0 Introduction

The Federal Voting Assistance Act of 1955 requires Federal agencies to assist eligible employees, their spouses, and dependents serving outside the territorial limits of the United States, to vote by absentee ballot in primary, special, or general elections. By virtue of section 5(h) and 8(a) of the Peace Corps Act, Volunteers and Trainees are considered Federal employees for this purpose. However, the Act does not apply to persons within the territorial limits of the United States. Therefore, Trainees or staff members at a Peace Corps location within a state must make their own arrangements for voting by absentee ballot.

2.0 Responsibilities

The Director of Administrative Services is designated the voting officer and is responsible for providing overseas staff and Volunteers with information and materials on voting by absentee ballot. This information will include the forms and publications discussed in the following paragraph, plus such supplemental guidance as is necessary. The voting officer will cooperate with the person designated by the President to coordinate government-wide efforts to implement the Voting Assistance Program, and will be responsible for the transmission of all voting materials to and from Volunteers and staff.

Peace Corps Country Directors are responsible for distributing voting materials and information to Trainees, Volunteers, and staff members.

Peace Corps Volunteers or staff members who wish to vote by absentee ballot are personally responsible for observing the requirements and regulations of their local authorities.

Because of the time required for international communication, persons who intend to vote by absentee ballot should obtain the necessary voter information from their local election authorities prior to overseas departure.

3.0 Procedure

The following materials and forms will be provided to overseas Posts by the voting officer. They should be used as indicated below, except when supplemental instructions are issued by the voting officer.

3.1 Federal Post Card Application (FPCA)

3.1.1 Use

A supply of FPCAs will be sent to each Country Director who in turn will forward the forms to each Volunteer, Trainee, or staff member. Many states (listed in the Voting Assistance Guide) permit the use of an FPCA as an application for both registration and for an absentee ballot. However, the practices in this regard are not uniform and are subject to change. Trainees, Volunteers, or staff members, therefore, should send the FPCA to their Election Board, requesting that the card be considered as an application for registration and for an absentee ballot; or, if this is not possible, that the Board provide immediate information as to the necessary procedures. (If Trainees, Volunteers, or staff members are in doubt as to the correct address, they should address the request to the Secretary of State in their own state, who will either respond directly or will forward the inquiry to the appropriate election official.) The FPCA must be completed by the person intending to vote (see attachment A), and the signature must be witnessed. The completed form will then be pouched to the voting officer who will forward it to the appropriate local jurisdiction. No postage is necessary. In cases where time is critical, international airmail (with postage) may provide quicker service.

3.1.2 Witnessing

Most states require that signatures on FPCAs be witnessed by an officer or other person authorized by law to administer oaths. This service will be provided by State Department Consular Officers without charge; however, the Volunteer or Trainee must appear in person for the administration of this oath. The designation to administer or attest to oaths, or both, is limited to the purpose specified in this paragraph.

Those Volunteers, Trainees, and staff members who find it inconvenient to appear in person for this procedure may leave a specimen signature on a card at the Peace Corps Office to permit the Consular Official to witness the FPCA signature by comparison with the signature card; however, the FPCA will be corrected to read "signature verified by me", and the words "subscribed and sworn to before me" will be deleted. Furthermore, there is no guarantee that this procedure will be accepted by state election officials.

In addition, the Director of the Peace Corps, by virtue of the authority of clause (10) of section 102 of the Federal Voting Assistance Act of 1955, 69 Stat. 584 (1955) (50 U.S.C. 1452), as amended by 82 Stat. 181 (1968), has designated all Foreign Service American staff employed by the Peace Corps and stationed abroad, as employees who may administer and/or attest to oaths required by state law. This method may be used when consular attestation is not possible; however, the states are not required to accept such attestations, and the degree of acceptability which will be accorded them is unclear.

In all cases, Volunteers, Trainees, or staff members should refer to the bin Assistance Guide instructions as to the procedure their state will accept.

3.2 Absentee Ballot

In some cases, the ballot will be received directly by the Volunteer, Trainee or staff member. When received by the Peace Corps Office at the training site or in the host country, the ballot will be immediately forwarded to the Volunteer, Trainee, or staff member by the Country Director or designee.
The Volunteer, Trainee, or staff member shall then complete the ballot and follow the same Procedures outlined in paragraph 3.1.2. above.

3.3 "Voting Assistance Guide"

This booklet is issued and revised by the Department of Defense, and explains voting, registration, and absentee ballot procedures for each state. The booklet contains general information as to each state, but may not answer all questions which arise. A copy of the booklet will be kept at each Peace Corps office and may be used by Country Directors and other staff members to answer questions concerning these procedures. If the booklet does not contain the required information, the individual should write directly to his or her local election authority.

Page changes to the guide will be issued on a state-by-state basis, as required, in order to avoid reprinting and distributing the pamphlet each year.

Supplemental instructions and guidance will be provided by the voting officer by separate memoranda concerning special and other elections and any current problem involved in absentee voting. Specific questions concerning the Peace Corps' Voting Assistance Program may be addressed to:

Peace Corps Voting Officer
Office of Administrative Services
1111 20th Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20526

4.0 Effective date

This Manual Section shall become effective on the date of issuance.