The Department of State has asked that we bring this message to the attention of Americans abroad registered to vote in California. ----------------------------------------------------------------- STATEWIDE SPECIAL ELECTION IN CALIFORNIA ON OCTOBER 7, 2003 ----------------------------------------------------------------- Please read the announcement below and note the September 22 deadline for registering for the California Special Election. Please follow the instructions below for registering to vote with the State of California. The State of California will hold a special election on October 7, 2003 to determine whether Governor Gray Davis is recalled and, if so, who will succeed him. Citizens who are covered by the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) who are California residents should register and request a ballot by completing and submitting a Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) (SF-76) to their county clerk or Registrar of Voters no later than September 22. Addresses for county clerks and Registrars of Voters can be found in the California section of the 2002-03 Voting Assistance Guide http://www.fvap.gov/vag/vagchapter3.html. Ballots should be voted and returned as soon as they are received. The county elections office must receive voted ballots by the close of polls on Election Day (8 pm on October 7, 2003). The list of certified candidates is available through the California Secretary of State's website at http://www.ss.ca.gov/elections/2003_cert_cand_list.htm California accepts the online version of the FPCA that can be found at http://www.fvap.gov/othertools/onlinefpca.html California allows their UOCAVA voters to submit their FPCA by fax. Mail the original FPCA after faxing. California local election officials will fax blank ballots at their discretion. Citizens may submit the completed FPCA by fax using the following numbers: 1-800-368-8683, (703) 693-5527 or DSN (military) 223-5527. Also, at http://www.fvap.gov there is a list of toll-free fax numbers from 49 countries for use by U.S. citizens overseas. Voters must provide a return transmission fax number (including international prefixes) on all documents sent via fax. Consult Appendix C of the 2002-03 Voting Assistance Guide available at http://www.fvap.gov for specific instructions and blank cover sheet for use when transmitting election materials electronically. California provides a state special absentee voter ballot if you cannot vote an absentee ballot during the normal absentee voting period because of military or other contingencies which preclude normal mail delivery. This ballot is available 60 days before the election to both registered voters and citizens eligible to vote but not yet registered. To request this special ballot, place one of the special absentee labels from Section III.G of the 2002-03 Voting Assistance Guide available at http://www.fvap.gov in Item 7 of the FPCA. You must state the reason(s) why you cannot vote using normal mail delivery. If no labels are available, write in Item 7: "I cannot vote an absentee ballot during the normal absentee voting period due to military or other contingencies that preclude normal mail delivery. {Specify reason(s).} I request a special absentee ballot." The list of certified candidates is available through the California Secretary of State's website at http://www.ss.ca.gov/elections/2003_cert_cand_list.htm. You vote the ballot by writing in the names of the candidates you select. For assistance if you are in the military, you may contact an FVAP staff member through the DoD Voting Information Center (VIC). The VIC also provides recorded messages from candidates, as well as other information concerning elections, 24 hours a day. Citizens may reach the VIC toll-free from 59 countries using the toll-free numbers listed on the FVAP website, http://www.fvap.gov. In the U.S. call 1-800-438-VOTE (8683) or local (703) 588-1343 or use DSN (military) 425-1343. Questions regarding the above may also be referred to the Director, Federal Voting Assistance Program, Department of Defense, Washington Headquarters Services, 1155 Defense Pentagon, Washington DC 20301-1155. Additionally, the FVAP can be reached via e-mail at vote@fvap.ncr.gov and on the World Wide Web at http://www.fvap.gov. --------------------------------------------------- Unsubscribing --------------------------------------------------- We make every attempt to include in our email messages information of real value. We know that should world events dictate, we can use this email channel to get important information to you, as we did in the immediate aftermath of 9/11. That said, if you are leaving Japan or otherwise wish to unsubscribe from this list, please write from the same email address you used to subscribe, and send a blank email to: leave-tokyoacs@mh.databack.com