The Integrated Voting Alternative Site

The Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) launched the Integrated Voting Alternative Site (IVAS) in 2006.  The new section of the FVAP website (http://www.fvap.gov) features information from the fifty-five states and territories regarding the electronic ballot request and delivery alternatives available to citizens covered by the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA). 

This effort by the FVAP further informs UOCAVA citizens of their request and delivery options during the absentee voting process.  The FVAP recognizes that due to the nature of absentee voting, accessing electronic alternatives to current by-mail voting procedures can greatly assist in ensuring that all UOCAVA citizens are enfranchised.  Possible electronic alternatives offered by various states and territories include:

Faxing or emailing of the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) for Registration

Faxing or emailing of the FPCA for Ballot Request

Faxing or emailing of the Blank Ballot to citizens

Fax or email return of the Voted Ballot

Fax-to-email conversion of the above via the Department of Defense Electronic Transmission Service

Each state and territory has differing laws regarding the use of electronic transmission alternatives to the by-mail process with respect to absentee voting materials. 

The IVAS website will not only include each state's specific electronic alternative regulations, but furthermore offers a new feature for military, family members and Department of Defense (DOD) employees and contractors overseas.  Participating states will allow eligible citizens to request a blank ballot through an automated version of the FPCA, as well as receive a ballot electronically.  Individuals eligible for access to this new feature are those who are currently registered to vote in their legal US residence.  The automated FPCA available through the IVAS portion of the FVAP website provides those eligible users with an additional electronic alternative designed to expedite the absentee voting process and facilitate communication between local election offices and voters.

The FVAP can be contacted through the DoD Voting Information Center (VIC). Citizens may reach the VIC toll-free from 67 countries using the toll-free numbers listed on the FVAP website, http://www.fvap.gov. The VIC provides recorded messages from candidates, as well as other information concerning elections, 24 hours a day.

Questions regarding the above may also be referred to the Director, Federal Voting Assistance Program, Department of Defense, 1155 Defense Pentagon, vote@fvap.ncr.gov and on the World Wide Web at http://www.fvap.gov.