News & Features
Courier Information for Absentee Voters
Published: 28/09/2004
This message contains important information about special courier rates and services for American voters overseas. We are providing this information as a public service to US citizen voters and do not endorse any particular company or guarantee delivery of ballots or ballot requests.
DHL
DHL will offer a 38% discount off DHL's origin country full tariff cost to US citizens sending ballot requests or ballots only to the US for upcoming November elections. Post's VAO should contact the local DHL representative to confirm this arrangement.
To qualify for this offer, US citizens must:
1. Physically present themselves at a DHL Service Center.
2. Identify themselves with proper photo identification.
3. Complete the DHL air waybill themselves (DHL will not complete air waybills for the customer), including:
· Accurate consignee information
· Complete street address (DHL will not deliver to PO boxes in the US) (Follow links at: http://www.defense.gov/fvap/links/statelinks.html)
· Write "absentee ballot" in air waybill reference field
4. Send only ballots or ballot requests.
5. Pay for shipment on a cash basis, or credit card where available.
6. Recognize that by accepting this offer that they (shipper/voter) have the ultimate and sole responsibility for any ballot requests, ballots and all respective air waybill and shipment information.
7. Recognize that by accepting this offer DHL will not accept any responsibility for lost/delayed ballot requests or ballots for any reason.
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FedEx
FedEx corporate headquarters is still discussing what special services or rates it might offer to American voters abroad. Additional information may be forthcoming about FedEx services. In the interim, Voting Assistance Officers should contact FedEx offices in country to learn about any special rates or services that may be in effect.
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UPS
UPS corporate headquarters has informed the Department that it has no global policy to assist absentee voters. Voting Assistance Officers should contact local UPS or UPS-affiliate offices in country to learn about any special rates or services that may be in effect.
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Should a courier company offer to transmit ballots free of charge to the US for onward delivery by the US Postal Service (USPS), but then ask for a point of contact where the packages are to be sent (for opening and delivery of contents to the USPS); posts should provide the following address to the courier company:
Mr. Nick Romeo
22630 Dulles Summit Court
Suite 150
Sterling, VA 20166-9442
Attn: Election Material
Remind voters who plan to send FPCAs and ballots via this method that they are responsible for affixing US postage to the ballot envelope if the envelope is not franked (postage-paid). Mail sent by this method (with postage affixed) will be postmarked once it reaches the USPS. Franked envelopes will not normally be postmarked. If you opt to collect these ballots at post, be certain to put the consular wet seal and a date stamp on the ballot envelopes before turning them over to the courier company for shipment.
Calculate the total transit time from your host country to local election officials in the US by using the following guidelines:
Courier time to the Department: 2 to 5 days (check with courier company)
Processing time at DoS: 1 to 2 days
USPS transit time to deliver: 2 to 6 days
TOTAL TRANSIT TIME: 5 to 13 days
Together with the courier company representative, set a deadline for sending the last package by this method sometime around October 20th so that the ballots will reach their destinations by Election Day.
Some states have earlier ballot receipt deadlines. For PA, the deadline is October 29; for IN, it is October 30; for AL, DE, MS, NC, it is Nov. 1
If voters approach courier companies or post after the above deadline, they should be strongly encouraged to send their ballots directly to local election officials either by host country international mail or by courier. Courier companies cannot deliver to post office box addresses; voters will have to contact their election officials in advance to get the proper street address.
Voters can follow the links in the following FVAP web page http://www.defense.gov/fvap/links/statelinks.html to locate contact information for their local election officials.
Please contact me immediately if you need clarification on any of these points.
Jack Markey
Chief Voting Action Officer
U.S. Department of State
Washington, DC
(202) 736-4937
markeyjd@state.gov
This message is Unclassified based on the definitions provided in E.O. 12958.
