MASSACHUSETTS EXTENDS BALLOT RECEIPT DEADLINE FOR THE FEBRUARY 5TH PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY FOR MILITARY AND OVERSEAS VOTERS

Massachusetts has extended the deadline for returning ballots voted by military and overseas voters to the local election official for the upcoming February 5, 2008 Presidential Primary only. Uniformed Service members, eligible family members, and U.S. citizens residing outside the U.S. are asked to vote their Massachusetts state ballot following the instructions accompanying the ballot and mail it as soon as they receive it.

Voting Assistance Officers should inform Massachusetts voters and provide help as required.

Citizens are encouraged to vote and send their voted ballot no matter how late they receive it, as long as it is postmarked by election day (February 5, 2008) and returned to the Town or City Clerk so that it arrives not later than 15 days after the election (February 20, 2008).

Please note that Massachusetts does not allow receiving the blank ballot or returning the voted ballot by fax or email.

Candidate names for the Presidential Primary election are available at the Secretary of the Commonwealth website at www.sec.state.ma.us/ele. A Notice from the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts on this election is available at this site as well.

Questions regarding the above may also be referred to the Director, Federal Voting Assistance Program, Department of Defense, 1155 Defense Pentagon, Washington, DC  20301-1155 or through email: vote@fvap.ncr.gov. Visit the FVAP website at www.fvap.gov