Illinois Extends Deadline for Receipt of Absentee Ballots from UOCAVA Voters

The State Board of Elections (SBE) of Illinois has extended the deadline for the receipt of absentee ballots from UOCAVA voters by fourteen days up to and including November 16, 2004 . All otherwise valid absentee ballots submitted by mail by UOCAVA citizens, if postmarked (or dated, in the absence of a postmark) on or before 11:59 p.m. CST of the day immediately preceding the election but received within 14 calendar days after election day, should be examined and counted.

Citizens that are located outside the United States (including APO/FPO addresses); have applied for a regular ballot early enough so that the request is received by the appropriate local election official at least 30 days before the election; and have not received the requested regular absentee ballot from the state may vote the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB). FWABs are available from Voting Assistance Officers (VAOs) in military units, embassies and consulates worldwide. An official FWAB with specific instructions is now available online at www.fvap.gov/pubs/onlinefwab.html

Citizens who receive their Illinois ballot after submitting either version of the FWAB should vote and submit their state ballot, postmarked by 11:59 pm on Nov. 1 - the day before the election. Citizens should note on the state ballot envelope that a FWAB was submitted.

If the voter's official absentee ballot is received by the deadline described above, the official absentee ballot will supersede and replace the FWAB.

VAOs should contact those citizens they assist who are Illinois voters, inform them of this news release, and provide help to them in returning their absentee ballots.

Further information on elections and voting in Illinois is available at the website, www.elections.state.il.us.

The FVAP can be contacted through the DoD Voting Information Center (VIC). Citizens may reach the VIC toll-free from 64 countries using the toll-free numbers listed on the FVAP website, www.fvap.gov. The VIC provides recorded messages from candidates, as well as other nformation concerning elections, 24 hours a day.

uestions regarding the above may also be referred to the Director, Federal Voting Assistance Program, Department of Defense, 1155 Defense Pentagon, Washington , DC 20301-1155 . Additionally, the FVAP can be reached via e-mail at vote@fvap.ncr.gov.