Voting Resources Available for Service Members

Military service members have an added resource to help them get their votes counted in the 2020 election. The Michigan Department of State’s (MDOS) first Military Voting Engagement Toolkit was just launched with the goal of helping members of the armed services participate in the election.

The toolkit outlines the Federal Post Card Application process which allows service members to register to vote and request an absentee ballot. It also explains the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB) option that is available to Michigan military service members for the first time. The FWAB option is an emergency backup ballot for those who don’t receive their absentee ballots from their home state in time to return them by the deadline.

The FWAB is available for download on the Department of Defense’s website which provides resources for military members, their families, and overseas citizens who need to vote absentee. It includes a link to print a postage free envelope.

Despite these added resources, voting can be difficult for service members who are overseas or involved in training exercises that keep them away from resources such as internet access, computers, and printers.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand