If you’re like me, perhaps you’ve been busy scouring the political blogs, keeping up on the gossip about Bristol Palin’s baby daddy or meticulously counting down the days until the US presidential election on November 4. On the other hand, if you are an expat living in Iceland, you might also have been too busy learning salsa or hanging out in the geothermal pools to care what’s going on across the pond. No matter the case, it’s time to stop procrastinating and get your head in the game because the 2008 presidential election is less than two months away, and I bet you still haven’t applied for an absentee ballot.
If you haven’t, fear not, because the US Embassy is ready to help. There’s still time to get in your request for a ballot and you don’t even have to leave your house. Just check out www.usa.is and go to US citizen services. All of the important information is listed along with a link to register for your state’s ballot.
Important things to know:
• The US Embassy recommends applying for an absentee ballot within 30-45 days of the election.
• If you’re not registered to vote in the States you can get registered by going to www.usa.is. The state that you would have to register with is the last state you lived in even if you currently have no ties there.
• If you’ve never lived in the US but are considered a citizen, some states will let you register if you have a parent who was a resident.
• Every state has its own deadline so check www.fvap.gov to see when that is.
• If you register to vote but you don’t receive your ballot in time for the election you can fill out a write-up ballot and send it in.
• If you have questions, you can go to the US embassy. They have copies of voting forms there that they will help you fill out. You can even mail them there. Or, you can call the voting line at +354 697 4449.
The US Embassy also encourages US citizens living in Iceland to register with the State department to receive important updates and information.
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