For U.S. Citizens - 2012 Election Cycle Begins Now

Some important changes for those of us committed to voting in presidential elections.


2012 ELECTION CYCLE – BEGINS NOW

Be an active voter. Start thinking about your participation in the U.S. 2012 elections today!

The American Citizens Services Unit at the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City is ready to assist with completing your Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) -- the form you need to complete this year to participate in the 2012 elections as an overseas absentee voter. Our purpose is to inform and educate you about your voting rights, to ensure you are able to exercise your right to participate in elections for federal offices (President, Vice President, Senator, and Representative), and to assist you with voting in state or local elections, if allowed by your state.

New absentee voting laws are in effect for the 2012 elections. You will no longer automatically receive ballots based on a previous absentee ballot request. All U.S. citizens outside the United States who want to vote by absentee ballot in the 2012 primary and general elections must complete a new Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) every year if they wish to vote from abroad. States are now required to send out ballots 45 days before an election. No matter what state you vote in, you can now ask your local election officials to provide your blank ballots to you electronically (by email, internet download, or fax, depending on your state). You can now also confirm your registration and ballot delivery on-line. Be sure to include your email address on the form to take advantage of the electronic ballot delivery option. This is the fastest and most reliable way to receive your ballot on time, and we strongly recommend every overseas voter take advantage of it. Learn more at the Federal Voting Assistance Program's (FVAP) website www.FVAP.gov.

Presidential primaries began in January and some of the upcoming primaries will be held in the states of Florida (January 31), Missouri (February 7), Wisconsin (February 21), Arizona (February 28), and Michigan (February 28). Other states will follow throughout the spring and summer. Voters must register early for primaries. Note: Participation in party presidential caucuses by overseas voters is not protected by federal law and requires in-person attendance in most cases. If the party you are affiliated with selects presidential nominees by caucus in your state contact state party officials for further information.

You can obtain a Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) at FVAP’s website. The FPCA is accepted by all local election officials in all U.S. states and territories. It allows you to register to vote and request absentee ballots for all elections for federal offices (presidential and state primaries, run-off, special, and the November general elections) during the course of the year. An online wizard will help you complete the form. Depending on your state’s voting requirements, you then either send in the FPCA electronically or mail it to your local election officials. To mail it, print out the completed FPCA and the (U.S.) postage-paid envelope containing the address of your local election officials. If you bring in your forms or ballots to us we will mail them back home for you without you having to pay for international mail. If it’s easier for you to use the Mexican postal system, be sure to affix sufficient postage and allow sufficient time for international mail delivery.

If you would like to mail your forms and ballots to the United States through the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City, you may drop them off with us during regular business hours (8:30am – 4:30pm). Our address is Paseo de la Reforma 305, Col. Cuauhtémoc, Mexico D.F.. If you are in Guanajuato, Guerrero or Oaxaca you can also drop off your forms and ballots in person at the consular agencies in San Miguel de Allende, Ixtapa, Acapulco, or Oaxaca. You can find the address and contact information of these agencies at [mexico.usembassy.gov]. In each case, please allow plenty of time for delivery as mail sent by us to the United States must first be sent to Texas where it is then deposited as standard U.S. mail. If you are dropping off your forms or ballots at the Embassy, please do so at least two weeks before the deadline. If dropping of your forms or ballots at one of the four consular agencies mentioned above, please do so at least three weeks before the deadline. U.S. citizens in other areas of Mexico should seek assistance from the U.S. consulates or consular agencies located throughout the country. A list of consulates can be found at [mexico.usembassy.gov]; a list of consular agencies is at [mexico.usembassy.gov].

Even if your state does not have a presidential primary in the early months of 2012, it is important that you submit a new Federal Post Card Application at the beginning of each calendar year to receive all absentee ballots for which you are eligible. By applying early, you also allow enough time for election officials to contact you and resolve any questions or problems with your registration/ballot request.

Remember that your vote counts, and that many U.S. elections within the past ten years have been decided by a margin of victory of less than 0.1%. All states are required to count every absentee ballot as long as it's valid and reaches local election officials by the absentee ballot receipt deadline.

Be an Educated Voter. Check out the FVAP links page for helpful resources that will aid your research of candidates and issues. Non-partisan information about candidates, their voting records, and their positions on issues are widely available and easy to obtain via numerous websites such as Project Smart Voter. You can also read national and hometown newspapers on-line, or search the Internet to locate articles and information. For information about election dates and deadlines, subscribe to FVAP's Voting Alerts (vote@fvap.gov). FVAP also shares Voting Alerts via Facebook and Twitter.

If you have any questions about registering to vote overseas, please contact us at 5080-2000 ext. 4245 or via e-mail at acsmexicocity@state.gov.

Thanks for the info Palomas. But I just got to say, What is the Point??? The two party system in the US continues to provide choices that vary from bad to worse!

From my perspective, the only solution is to vote out any incumbent in DC. They have shown their inability to perform the job they have been elected to do, send them home, ASAP! As for President, it appears we will have a choice of the incumbent Socialist who hasn't got a clue, or a has been who left DC once in disgrace (Gingrich). Not much to get excited about. Until the populace starts to pay attention, and votes in their own best interest, the US will continue to spiral in towards the inevitable crash landing.

One of the reasons I winter in Mexico is so that I can avoid the constant media blitz from NOB, how many attack ads can one person be forced to endure? Like dealing with a wayward child, sometimes you just have to turn your back and wait for the tragedy to play out. You still love them (US, or kids), but refuse to get caught up in the self imposed turmoil. Rojo

To quote that great poet...T. Waits..."I use to be disgusted...now I'm just amused".

Sucio.

OMG




OBAMA MUST GO

Trust me, miguel, once your bread is safely off-shore, THEN "it" really gets "amusing"....... (to just 'watch')!!

Yeah, ol "Johnny B Goode" = [www.youtube.com]

The media and many join the masses types called for a change. They got it. Now its time for a change. ANY CHANGE, QUICK!
Romney, Hillary, Perry, Palin, Cain, Jessie Jackson, Gorbachev, anybody but hurry along. They simply wanted a change. Now we NEED one ASAP! The current regime isnt funny and I love humor! LOL!

LIKE THE SONG GOES " I VOTED FOR CHANGE AND THATS ALL I SEEM TO HAVE IN MY POCKET"

Even the democrats should be ashamed of running that flake. Will be remembered as the food stamp president. The main concern now is can he be removed before he snuggles up with Amadineyaddifoo.

Latest Gallup polls point to a HUGE obama loss! Thats great news for America!

I would hang with Obama !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But I am a Canuck . trade you for Harper lol Dox

OMG

OBAMA MUST GO!!!!!

Mexpipe, What ever happened to all those Obama sympathizers? They wanted a change, they got a change and they refuse to mention it. At least that regime appears to be history.
Dox, Will you take the trillions Obamacodebt Inc will leave behind in the trade? You take the shyster you get the debt.

Anyone ever noticed how the first thing the left wing dems cut is defense. I guess when you dont have the gonads to use it properly it doesnt have any value. The Prez that replaces this circus will need to rebolster the military system as in Carter, Clinton etc. Damn shame. Bye Bye foodstamp president!OMG! LOL!

I just love our Lyin' King........ More crap this A.M.
Wants manufacturing jobs..... How about the unemployed guys in Oklahoma that were making pipe for Keystone..... Screw 'em, I guess.....

Jeez I tried a post this A.M. about our very own "Lyin' King" on TV talking about "Jobs, jobs, manufacturing jobs" Didn't show up, tell ya something???

What about those Oklahoma folks, making pipe for Keystone, now laid off, unemployed????

Screw 'em, they don't count......

Wake up, this guy is all about himself....... that's all...

Ron Paul sure wants to decrease defense.

Oh boy -- now I'm gonna stir things up. Sounds like a lot of your don't like Obama. Weird, cuz I live in a pro-Obama world. Anyway, I think part of the problem is that you watch too much Fox News -- the only cable news channel in English. Unfortunately, it is NOT news, it is opinion editorial and very slanted to the right.

On the election in general, I for one am enjoying the Republican squabbles.

Waterbaby
BTW -- Thank you so much for this information, Palomas. I will need it for 2012.

For those of us 'on the outside lookin in' (with NO dog-in-the-hunt!), I recall that your current President essentially ran (and WON!) on a campaigned "Peace Ticket "......(ala George McGovern in 1972!!

WHAT happened to THAT (from Day 1...... and now 3+ years later)???

Well, Jeez, PE is a pro Nobama world, too..... But being in the frozen North.... you're excused. But I live in PE.... Don't miss the ice and snow....

I have op-ed channels right here on the remote, too... FOX, CNN, HLN, MSNBC, ABC.... All of them....... But, just why is FOX #1 for ten years running, lots of us fools around, maybe??? Why does Billy O have the highest ratings in cable land?? Why??

I just love "Hardball with Chris Matthews" Moron, idiot, wifey won'let me have any bevie containers while that's on....... Down to one TV, can't destroy that one......

Why do Canadians love Obama while he's actively screwing you....... No accounting for human nature.... Is there???

Read the July 2011 Nat Geo about your Gateway pipeline to China...... Alberta to Kitimat.... Wonderful!!!

Waterbaby,

Please see your Flower Seeds post for comments!!

Some News Leaves People Knowing Less
According to the latest results from Fairleigh Dickinson University’s PublicMind Poll,
some news sources make us less likely to know what’s going on in the world. In the
most recent study, the poll asked New Jerseyans about current events at home and
abroad, and from what sources – if any – they get their information. The conclusion:
Sunday morning news shows do the most to help people learn about current events,
while some outlets, especially Fox News, lead people to be even less informed than
those who say they don’t watch any news at all.

But the real finding is that the results depend on what media sources people turn to for
their news. For example, people who watch Fox News, the most popular of the 24-hour
cable news networks, are 18-points less likely to know that Egyptians overthrew their
government than those who watch no news at all (after controlling for other news
sources, partisanship, education and other demographic factors). Fox News watchers
are also 6-points less likely to know that Syrians have not yet overthrown their
government than those who watch no new

Only 55% of New Jerseyans are able to name correctly either Mitt Romney or Herman
Cain as the Republican candidates most recently leading in the polls, with 37 % saying
that Romney is ahead, and 18% saying that Cain is. Watching Fox News didn't help or
hurt respondents on this question. MSNBC, however, helped: Watching MSNBC was
associated with a 10-point increase in identifying Romney as the leader, and a 5-point
drop in the likelihood of identifying Cain compared to those who got no exposure to
news at all.

you vote with your feet and your money if you have any.

barry is a war president. he got bin lauden, he is droning the al kida, he is the only one to get to the pirates. it's a show.

i don't have tv. i don't have to whatch the all political all the time ads. too bad ron paul is a goof. i like his rap.

It would be interesting to see how many people that supported obama now realize it was a very grave error and how many that never supported him knew this disaster was going to happen. This could be reanalyzed over and over without any regards to what news broadcast had been watched. Those who did in fact support obama will most likely be less inclined to admit error and may throw the poll off balance by 99% give or take 1 point. 36% of the registered voters will be incorrect due to heat strokes and or cold weather related illnesses due to passing long hours in food stamp lines. Makeshift camps of occupiers in major cities are 69% less qualified to voice opinions due to unlimited irresponsability. War veterans are disqualified to vote in any poll due to the fact that veterans benefits are in danger of being cancelled before obama camp is voted out. And last but not least obama and family are expected to seek asylum in Iran before November elections according to 34% cnn polls conducted in muslim nations. That pretty well sums it up or at least leaves one 29.73% in doubt. Any obama accomplishments available yet? LOL!

Gee whiz, driftlastic, Herman Cain........ Been down at the local beach for a while????

The thing is,,,, some of us really are informed......

>> how many that never supported him knew this disaster was going to happen <<

Well…… I would guesstimate that ALL (we) Fiscal Conservatives β€œknew”, albeit MANY of β€œus” on the-outside-looking-in WERE indeed (but once) audacious enough to actually EMBRACE β€œThe Audacity Of Hope”.

Personally, I simply want to meet his T R A I N E R (political, athletic, circus or otherwise)!!!



Yeah, right about NOW…… I would imagine that fundamental disappointment Runs The Gamut across America (QUITE irrespective of either β€œrace creed or color”!)

The JOY (and/or out) is to thoroughly remove your bread β€œOUT of harms gΓΌey”……. Then simply β€œwatch” (as that distinctive SOUND of one’s jaw hitting your chin indelibly echoes throughout The Halls Of Moctezuma!).

Adelante Cabrones….. (y suerte)! = [www.youtube.com]

OH...... PS...... WHICH "disater" are you refering to, L.T........? (!!)

Not that I've seen so far. Nice train wreck you've got going on there though.

FoxΒ΄s ratings just reflect an older demographic who rely on TV for news. Under 30Β΄s don't have cable, they stream want they want and go all over for their news. Both right and left tend to seek out like minded media and opinions; every click is a vote, if you're tired of junk news don't click on it. Better to google the subject and try to read more primary sources.

Have at it: [news.yahoo.com]

Please, a bit more specific......

Obama screws Canada and it's, just, OK???

I know people that work at Fox News and THEY don't even call it news.

FOX IS NUMBER 1 ! OMG! LOL!