Registration begins for Nov. federal polls

The 50 states and territories of the United States will be holding federal elections on Nov. 7, 2006. Under the Uniformed Overseas Americans Voting Assistance Act, U.S. citizens who presently reside outside of the United States (or in the Northern Mariana Islands) and who were former residents of one of the 50 states or the District of Columbia (Washington, D.C.) may register to vote and to apply to vote absentee for the Nov. 7 federal elections.

While there is no presidential election this year, all jurisdictions will include races for members of Congress (the U.S. House of Representatives) and one-third of the 50 states will include races for members of the U.S. Senate. Under UOAVA, the opportunity to vote for federal elections in one of the 50 states or in Washington, D.C. is available to all eligible U.S. citizens who are former United States residents and who presently reside outside the United States or in the Northern Mariana Islands.

The requirements are that an individual must be residing outside of the United States or in the Northern Mariana Islands on Nov. 7, 2006, must be a U.S. citizen, is 18 years of age or older, has never been convicted of a felony and must have at one time resided in one of the 50 states or in Washington, D.C.

All jurisdictions require that a person must have an actual address of their U.S. residence (post office box addresses are unacceptable).

To be eligible to vote in federal elections under UOAVA and to continue to be eligible to vote in commonwealth elections, a person must apply to vote for federal offices only. All those who are already registered to vote in any of the 50 states, Washington, DC, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands are ineligible to register to vote or to vote under UOAVA.

Those who meet these eligibility criteria will need to complete a registration form and an application to vote absentee. Some jurisdictions require that the registration/absentee voting application be notarized while others do not. All applications must be mailed or faxed to the election clerk of the county of the registrant’s/applicant’s U.S. residence.

Federal elections is not a responsibility of the Commonwealth Election Commission but the commission is offering to assist anyone who may be eligible to vote under UOAVA to register to vote and to apply to vote by absentee voting. Anyone who requires assistance or more information on UOAVA is asked to call 664-VOTE to make an appointment to meet with the Commission’s executive director or with one of the designated staff assigned to help individual register to vote under UOAVA. (PR)