Many qualified American Expat Voters abroad are asking if they can get their absentee ballots to vote. Usually, it is in November that many overseas voters inquire if they can get to vote.
But now, as early as August, there are many more inquiries than usual, said Susan Dzieduszycka-Suinat who founded the nonpartisan Overseas Vote Foundation.
One more common question for them is how can it be managed with no U.S. Postal Service. This can shows voters going hysterical from the events shaking up the mail-in vote. The overall quagmire is caused by the Democrats and the GOPS before the presidential elections, reported USA Today.
The U.S. Postal service is in major upheavals. One of these instances is the Congressional Democrats stating that the delays and changes at the Postal Service will grossly affect how it will deal with more mail-in ballots, noted CNN.
In August, General Louis DeJoy promised some operational changes relevant to the elections. Also, the election mail must be delivered on time, so those abroad can get the official ballot. As many as 6.5 eligible or official American voters are affected by it.
According to Dzieduszycka-Suinat, if the U.S. Government is looking for a problem in overseas voting, then this would be just it. It does not help any for overseas American who is also in double bind, that is restrictions that is ever-changing today. Most living abroad will need an absentee ballot to vote. Another thing is what state will anyone vote in, with usually a different process for each state.
For example, it will be uncomplicated registration and sending the vote only in one form or another. Herein lies the problem which is mailing voting materials that will take time, and its international mail not U.S. mail.
The fact is that 21- states of the USA say that overseas voters should have the voting material via postal mail or diplomatic pouch. Some embassies stopped this due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
Jennifer Earll, 49, and Seattle native whose current residence is in Panama City, starting from 5 years back, said that there is a lockdown where she stays and cannot travel to the U.S. embassy.
Even going home is not viable because her spouse is getting chemotherapy in Latin America, since it is more expensive in the U.S. Earll can transmit her ballot electronically, like in other elections and she notices problems too. She added how hard it will be if the ballots need to be sent to the U.S.She is hoping other voters abroad will not have difficulty.
In 63 countries, Panama is part of it as mail services and disrupted operations that are affected like the U.S. in the pandemic. Another is the bad news that comes with a disrupted mail service, which can be negated and rejected. This all depends on the Federal Voting Assistance Program.
Hopefully, all American expats do get their absentee ballot and get their vote on time.
