Warden Messages - August 2006

Important Notice about the September 2006 Elections

August 15, 2006

All American citizens are reminded that 2006 is an election year in the United States.  Every seat in the U.S. House of Representatives and one-third of the seats in the U.S. Senate are being contested this year.  Overseas citizens are eligible to participate in primary, run-off, and special elections that occur throughout the year, as well as the general elections in November.  
 
We strongly encourage you to register to vote and/or request absentee ballots as soon as possible to ensure that you will receive all ballots for which you are eligible.   Should questions or problems occur, you would still be able to address them in time to vote in the November elections.

The following is the basic absentee voting procedure:

• You complete an application form (see below) and send it to local election officials in the U.S.

• The local official approves your request, or contacts you for further information

• The local official sends you an absentee ballot

• You vote the ballot and send it back in time to meet your state's deadline

The official US Government website for overseas absentee voting assistance is the Federal Voting Assistance Program website at www.fvap.gov.  It has a wealth of information about absentee voting, including the downloadable absentee ballot application, state-specific instructions for completing the form, links to state and local officials, and a downloadable emergency ballot.  
 
Overseas citizens groups help people to vote.  We encourage you to contact Democrats Abroad, Republicans Abroad or other American citizens groups or organizations for assistance in registering to vote and requesting absentee ballots.  Links to these groups are at http://www.fvap.gov/links/ocitlinks.html.
 
To register to vote and to request an absentee ballot, download the Federal Post Card Application at http://www.fvap.gov/pubs/onlinefpca.html.  You can also obtain this form overseas from the U.S. Embassy/Consulate.  Fill it out and send it in, following the guidelines for your state.  A postage-paid envelope template, valid if you are using the U.S. postal system, is available at http://www.fvap.gov/pubs/returnenvelope.html. 
 
Each state has different voting procedures.  Information about your state's procedures is available at http://www.fvap.gov/pubs/vag/vagchapter3.html.  Information about your state's deadlines to register and vote is available at http://www.fvap.gov/pubs/primarycal.html.  A calendar of election dates is available at http://www.fvap.gov/pubs/primarycal.html. 
 
States sometimes make last-minute changes.  There may be late changes to your state's voting calendar, procedures or deadlines.  When these occur, the Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) will issue a News Release.  News Releases are available at http://www.fvap.gov/pubs/releases.html.    
 
Be an educated voter.  Non-partisan information about candidates, their voting records, and their positions on issues is widely available and easy to obtain via the Internet.  Use the links appearing on the Federal Voting Assistance Program website at http://www.fvap.gov/links/otherlinks.html, or choose any one of several search engines to locate articles and information. 
 
An emergency ballot is available.  If the ballot receipt deadline is approaching, and you have not yet received the blank ballot from local officials, you can download an emergency ballot, write in the names of the candidates and the offices for which they are running, and send it back in time to meet your state's ballot receipt deadline.  The emergency ballot (SF-186, Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot, or FWAB) is available on the Internet at http://www.fvap.gov/pubs/forms.html.   The ballot is also available from any U.S. Embassy/Consulate.
 
The Voting Assistance Officer at the U.S. Embassy/Consulate in Kingston, Jamaica is available to answer questions about absentee voting.  To contact the Voting Assistance Officer, call 935-6000 extension 2507 or send an e-mail to kingstonacs@state.gov. 

Again, we strongly encourage you to begin this process as soon as possible. 

Public Announcement - Travel

August 10, 2006

This Public Announcement alerts Americans to the Government of the United Kingdom’s August 10, 2006 announcement that it has heightened security at all U.K. airports due to the arrest of several terror suspects, who were reportedly planning to place explosives on commercial air flights.  Information periodically is updated by the U.K. Department for Transport (www.dft.gov.uk) and the British Airport Authority (www.baa.co.uk).  The U.S. Embassy in London also maintains a website at http://london.usembassy.gov .  Americans with immediate travel plans into or out of the United Kingdom should contact their respective airlines before traveling to the airport.  Due to the delays and flight cancellations, U.S. Officials have been cautioned to avoid transiting through U.K. airports at this time.  This Public Announcement expires August 31, 2006.

The government of the United Kingdom announced on August 10, 2006 that it has heightened security at all U.K. airports due to the arrest of several terror suspects, who were reportedly planning to place explosives on commercial air flights.  As a result of these arrests, the threat level in the U.K. has been raised to critical, reflecting the belief that an attack may be imminent.  In the United States, the Department of  Homeland Security has also raised the threat level to high for all commercial flights operating in or coming to the United States.  The situation remains fluid and is being covered widely by British and international media.  Information periodically is updated by the U.K. Department for Transport (www.dft.gov.uk) and the British Airport Authority (www.baa.co.uk).  The U.S. Embassy in London also maintains a website at http://london.usembassy.gov .

Americans with immediate travel plans into or out of the United Kingdom should contact their respective airlines before traveling to the airport.  Heightened security in other countries may cause delays in other flights from Europe to the United States.  American citizens are advised to anticipate stringent security measures and cooperate fully with authorities.  For the latest travel and safety information, Americans living and traveling abroad should regularly monitor local media and the Department's Bureau of Consular Affairs Internet website at travel.state.gov. The Homeland Security website also provides information at www.dhs.gov.  Travelers should also check the Transportation Security Administration website at www.tsa.gov.

U.S. citizens are strongly encouraged to maintain a high level of vigilance, be aware of local events, and take the appropriate steps to bolster their personal security.  For additional information, please refer to “A Safe Trip Abroad” found at http://travel.state.gov.

U.S. Government facilities worldwide remain at a heightened state of alert. These facilities may temporarily close or periodically suspend public services to assess their security posture.  In those instances, U.S. embassies and consulates will make every effort to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens.  Americans abroad are urged to monitor the local news and maintain contact with the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate.

As the Department continues to develop information on any potential security threats to U.S. citizens overseas, it shares credible threat information through its consular information program documents, available on the Internet at http://travel.state.gov. In addition to information on the Internet, travelers may obtain up-to-date information on security conditions by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the U.S. or outside the U.S. and Canada on a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444.