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NEWPORT NEWS, Va – For new Sailors, often first-time voters, exercising one’s right to vote can be confusing. The first and arguably most critical step in the process is correctly registering.
“If you haven’t registered already, all you need to do is provide proof of residency in your home state, while it may seem overwhelming, it’s pretty straightforward,” said USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) Judge Lt. Maria De Guzman. “And you don’t have to vote in person, you can do absentee ballots.”
According to research conducted by the Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP), the majority of service members, 75 percent, are eligible to vote absentee because they are stationed away from their home voting precincts.
After Sailors check their specific voter registration deadline based on their home state residency, they must fill out a Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) and send it to their respective election office. The FVAP website provides information regarding how to determine an individual’s voting residence, registration deadlines, and how to properly fill out the FPCA.
Using the FPCA for absentee voting ensures that your state will send you a ballot at least 45 days before the election, a protection not guaranteed when utilizing other forms. After registering through the FPCA, service members should receive their general election ballot by early October. It remains good practice to send a new FPCA every January and each time you move duty stations.
“Definitely use your right to vote,” said De Guzman. “If you have political causes that you want to support, you’re welcome to do that.” (It’s important to remember that Sailors are restricted from using their Navy affiliation during the support of any political cause. More to follow below.)
There is currently no deadline in Virginia for service members to register for the Federal general election; however, ballot requests must be received by Oct. 25, 2024, and ballot returns must be postmarked by Nov. 5, 2024.
If there is not enough time to receive and send back a ballot before the election, service members may use a Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB). The FWAB works as an insurance policy. If your official absentee ballot arrives after you send in the FWAB, you can fill out and send in the official ballot, too. Don’t worry, only one vote will be counted.
While exercising the right to vote remains vital for the well-being of our democracy, service members must consider several factors. DOD Directive 1344.10, Political Activities for Armed Forces Members, contains the Department of Defense (DOD) policy for service members. DOD policy encourages armed forces members to carry out the obligations of citizenship while maintaining the traditional concept that members on active duty should not engage in partisan political activity.
“As U.S. citizens we have certain rights, one of them being the right to vote and the right to free speech without government interference,” states De Guzman. “That being said, when you join the military, whether that’s enlisting or commissioning, you give up certain rights for the greater good. And that greater good is that the government needs to remain apolitical.”
Common violations of DOD 1344.10 include wearing uniform items to political rallies, discussing partisan politics at work or during working hours, or otherwise endorsing a political party or cause as a representative of the United States armed forces.
“Individual service members can have their own political beliefs as an individual,” said De Guzman. “The problem arises when you contribute to the appearance, or you actually make it seem like the military is endorsing a specific candidate.”
United States armed service members are sworn to political neutrality while in uniform. Their duty is to protect and serve, regardless of personal belief and partisan lines. When your ultimate chain of command ends with the President of the United States, it is easy to understand why these regulations and time-honored doctrine remain paramount. However, just as it is a service member’s civic duty to protect this country, it remains another to exercise a right they fight to defend.
USS John C. Stennis Sailors can find more information on service member voter registration on the FVAP website or by contacting their local Voting Assistance Officer (VAO) at vote.hamptonroads@navy.milor 757-836-1484.
| Date Taken: | 08.28.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 08.28.2024 13:27 |
| Story ID: | 479654 |
| Location: | NEWPORT NEWS, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 33 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Voting: A Sailor’s Other Civic Duty, by PO2 Max Biesecker, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
