The Overseas Vote Foundation

The Overseas Vote Foundation, much like the U.S. Vote Foundation was created to assist military personnel and other American citizens who are living and working overseas to place their vote during all elections held in the United States. They accomplish this task by providing access to vote registration tools and services that will make it easier for them to place their votes through absentee ballot. In addition to providing tools and services to those who need to place their votes, they also help elections administrators in their task of supporting these individuals and making the elections process easier.

Their Work with the Voting & Elections Summit

As part of their efforts to educate overseas American voters on voting from their locations and to make it easier for them to participate in the voting process, they participate in the annual Voting & Elections Summit, which is coming up on its 10th year. This summit is designed to support their goals of making voting overseas much easier than it has been in the past to boost voter turnout. Because many Americans who are deployed or otherwise living overseas often take their families with them, it’s more important than ever to make sure they have access to voter registration and absentee ballots to encourage them to have their voices heard in important American elections. Just because they are working overseas doesn’t mean their voice isn’t just as important.

Discussions Focused on Overseas Voters

The 2015 summit featured a roundtable discussion that talked specifically about the issues that surround military and other overseas voters, including their registration and applications for absentee ballots. This discussion was moderated by Don Inbody of Texas State University. Many of the other members of the panel have worked on other voting issues, including concerns over how states handle and respond to overseas voters, the unique issues of civilian workers overseas and more. All of these professionals offered valuable insight into the inner workings of overseas voting and how to overcome the problems often associated with it.

While there is still much work to be done in terms of encouraging everyone who is stationed or living overseas to place their vote, the Overseas Vote Foundation will continue to working toward this goal. As 2016 approaches, this organization will continue to build the tools and resources they make available to individuals and their families who are in overseas living situations. Their goal is to continue working with overseas Americans to help them register to vote, as well as election administrators. Part of the voter turnout issue is due to the failure of local administrators to understand the complexities of voting from overseas locations, which can lead them to reject registration applications.