November 2, 2007

VIRGINIA TO HOLD A SPECIAL ELECTION ON DECEMBER 11, 2007 FOR REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE 1ST DISTRICT

On December 11, 2007 there will be a special election in Virginia’s 1st U.S. Congressional District to fill the seat of Representative Jo Ann Davis.

Voting Assistance Officers should inform Virginia 1st District voters and provide help as required in requesting and returning their absentee ballot.

To determine if your legal residence is in the 1st Congressional District, click on "Communicating with Your Elected Officials", then "Who is my Representative?" at the Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) website, www.fvap.gov.

REGISTERING TO VOTE AND REQUESTING A BALLOT:

If you have not done so already in calendar year 2007, all members of the U.S. Uniformed Services and their family members and citizens residing outside the U.S. who are Virginia residents from the 1st District should request a ballot for this special election by completing and submitting a registration and ballot request - Federal Post Card Application (FPCA), SF-76, as soon as possible. The online version of the FPCA is available from the FVAP website at www.fvap.gov/pubs/onlinefpca.html. Specific instructions for Virginia are available at: http://www.fvap.gov/pubs/vag/pdfvag/va.pdf.

If you are already registered and only wish to request an absentee ballot, send a completed FPCA to the General Registrar so that it arrives not later than Tuesday, December 4, 2007 by 5:00 PM Eastern Standard Time.

You may submit the FPCA for registration and for absentee ballot request by fax or as an email attachment. After faxing or emailing, submit the original FPCA by mail. Use the following toll-free fax numbers for the U.S. and Canada: 1-800-368-8683, (703) 693-5527 or DSN 223-5527 (military). At www.fvap.gov/services/faxing.html, there is a list of additional toll-free fax numbers from overseas countries.

UNIFORMED SERVICES - To register permanently and request an absentee ballot, send a completed FPCA to the General Registrar so that it arrives not later than Tuesday, December 4, 2007 by 5:00 PM Eastern Standard Time.

CIVILIANS OUTSIDE THE US - Residents of Virginia who reside temporarily outside the U.S. and maintain their Virginia place of abode may register permanently and request an absentee ballot by sending a completed FPCA to the General Registrar so that it arrives not later than Tuesday, December 4, 2007 by 5:00 PM Eastern Standard Time.

Residents of Virginia living outside the U.S. who no longer have a Virginia place of abode may be registered temporarily. To register temporarily and request an absentee ballot, send a completed FPCA to the General Registrar so that it arrives not later than Tuesday, December 4, 2007 by 5:00 PM Eastern Standard Time.

RECEIVING YOUR BALLOT:

Local Election Officials mail absentee ballots 30 days or as soon as available prior to the special election.

UNIFORMED SERVICES - Virginia allows overseas military members to receive the blank ballot by email or fax upon request.

CIVILIANS OUTSIDE U.S. - Some Virginia counties and cities allow you to receive the blank ballot by email or fax upon request. For a list of these counties, check the Virginia State Board of Elections website at http://www.sbe.virginia.gov

To request that your ballot be sent to you by email or fax, indicate your preference on the FPCA. Write your email address or your fax number with all necessary prefixes and country codes and the range of time (e.g. 8am – 4pm Eastern Standard Time) that you would be able to receive the fax. After receiving your ballot by email you must print out the ballot and oath envelope. You must complete the faxed or emailed ballot and return the voted ballot and oath envelope by mail or a commercial delivery service. Refer to http://www.sbe.virginia.gov for more information.

FEDERAL WRITE-IN-ABSENTEE BALLOT (FWAB):

Virginia allows registered voters to use the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB) for this special election simultaneously as an absentee ballot request and ballot for Federal offices as long as it arrives not later than Thursday, December 6, 2007.

The oath on the return envelope or on the Voter Declaration/Affirmation on the FWAB must be witnessed, and the witness must provide his/her signature, printed name and address in the witness signature box.

The FWAB is available online at: http://www.fvap.gov/pubs/onlinefwab.html

Virginia does not allow you to return the voted FWAB by fax or email.

BALLOT RETURN DEADLINE:

Voted ballots must arrive by the close of polls which is 7:00 P.M. Eastern Standard Time on December 11, 2007.

Virginia does not allow you to return the voted ballot by fax or email.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Candidate names will be available on no later than November 19th ^{at the Virginia State Board of Elections website at http://www.sbe.virginia.gov. The Virginia State Board of Elections can be contacted via email at overseasvoting@sbe.virginia.gov.}

^{The FVAP can be contacted via 1-800-438-8683. Citizens may reach the FVAP toll-free from 67 countries using the toll-free numbers listed on the FVAP website, www.fvap.gov. 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 and via email at vote@fvap.ncr.gov.}