WASHINGTON (Army News Service, Aug. 4, 2004) -- “It’s your future -- vote for it.”

This is the message from the Army’s top leaders as they take starring roles in public service announcements to encourage Soldiers to fill out absentee voter registration forms by Aug. 15.

Acting Secretary of the Army Les Brownlee and Sgt. Maj. of the Army Kenneth Preston took time Tuesday to tape television ads for the Army’s Voting Assistance Program that will air on the Pentagon Channel, American Forces networks overseas and local command channels beginning the week of Aug. 9. Gen. Peter Schoomaker, chief of staff of the Army, is scheduled to tape a third PSA.

The Aug. 15 deadline to request an absentee ballot enables Soldiers deployed overseas to receive their ballots in September and have them sent out by Oct. 11 to reach their home states by election day, Nov. 2, said Jim Davis, the Army’s voting assistance officer.

Preston knows first-hand the importance of registering for absentee voting.

“I’ve been a Soldier for almost 30 years and have never had the chance to vote in my home state of Maryland,” he said.

The Army wants to make sure all Soldiers are provided with the opportunity to register and cast their ballot. In May an e-mail was sent to 1.3 million AKO users, reminding them of the importance of this and the details of how to do so, said Davis.

To apply for an absentee ballot, Soldiers must fill out the federal postcard application, standard form 76, which can be found at the Federal Voting Assistance Program’s Web site or from a voting action officer, said Davis.

If Soldiers located outside the United States send in their request for an absentee ballot in sufficient time and don’t receive their ballot, they can use the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (SF 186), which allows them to write in their votes and send it in by the Oct. 11 deadline.

All but three states require absentee ballots by close of business the day of the election. Louisiana requires the ballots to be in by midnight before the election. New York absentee ballots need to be postmarked the day before the election. North Carolina requires the ballots to be in by 5 p.m. the day before the election.

Brownlee recognizes the roles Soldiers play in the voting process.

“As a Soldier you have a duty to fight. As a citizen, you have the right to vote. Now it’s time for you to exercise that right,” he said.

For more information on federal voting policies, go to the Federal Voting Assistance Program’s Web site at http://www.fvap.gov/.

For more on voting assistance see Postal initiative to speed absentee ballots to Soldiers or HRC sends largest AKO e-mail to date or Counsel outlines political limits for Army personnel or Commentary: Lollipops not only incentive for teens to vote or Army program helps with absentee voting.