Comment now on the second drafts of the FPCA and FWAB – and share your views on voting legislation with Congress

You can do two useful things in August:

1. comment on the two forms that overseas voters often use to register and vote absentee in US elections; and
2. tell your Senators to pass legislation to protect Americans' right to vote and improve the fairness of and turnout for elections in the USA.

Review draft forms used by overseas voters

The draft Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) and Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB) hardcopy paper forms are available for their second and final period of public review and comment on the Federal Register at regulations.gov. The deadline for commenting is August 6, 2021.

The Federal Voter Assistance Program (FVAP) used the feedback gathered from voters, election officials, and other stakeholders in the first round of comments, incorporated the clarifications and updated the draft forms for the second and final comment period. Please comment on the content, design and usability of the forms via the links below. There are two links for each.

For the FPCA, here are the links to use:

1. to download and view the draft (be sure to review the “30 day comment submission” version); and then
2. to comment on the draft form.

For the FWAB, here are the links to use:

1. to download and view the draft (be sure to review the “30 day comment submission” version); and then
2. to comment on the draft form.

Urge the US Senate to pass laws to protect and enhance voting rights

The House of Representatives passed the For the People Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Act some time ago, and the Senate should now consider them. Urge your senators to vote for both. They are more necessary than ever, because a third of US states have passed laws to make voting harder, even giving some state legislatures the right to overturn election results that they dislike.

Click here for details on the For the People Act and what it will do – including benefits for overseas voters.

How to find and contact your US Senator

1. Visit the Senate website.
2. Conduct a search using the Find Your Senators pull-down menu in the upper right corner (select your state and click Go).
3. On the results page is a link to the Senators’ website, contact information, and links to an online contact form (forms vary by Senator).

If possible, telephone your Senators; their staff take phone calls more seriously than emails, and even count the numbers of calls that are for and against particular mesures. Your voice can help protect voting rights.