THE 2008 US presidential election will go down in history for its remarkable voter turnout. Not wanting to be left behind, many American expatriates in the Kingdom exercised their voting rights through the process of absentee voting. “This is the best opportunity for American expatriates. Life has become so easy due to such advancements; I have never felt away from home,” said Arlene Attar, an American diploma coordinator of Al-Hamrah Schools, who has lived in the Kingdom for 30 years. Absentee voting, also known as mail-in voting or by-mail voting, has become a commonly accepted trend in US politics. It is performed through a mail-in paper ballot before the Election Day. Some states also allow e-mail, fax or personal delivery. Attar said Barack Obama was an obvious choice for many Americans. “I am sure American expatriates have voted in his favor. He will be more influential and will reach out for the support of different nations and cultures,” she told the Saudi Gazette. Saudi Arabia is home to about 30,000 to 35,000 Americans, most of whom vote through the provision of absentee voting. Patricia Thomas (name changed) could not walk after an accident. She voted online. “I would have voted online even if I was living in Los Angeles. Our country knows how to use the various technological advancements in the interest of its citizens,” said Thomas. Most states and territories require a registration to enroll as an absentee voter. Registration requirements vary from state to state. Generally, a voter has to complete the registration or absentee ballot request form which can be downloaded from the website (www.fvap.gov). Voters select their state for state-specific instructions. The form is sent to an election official who approves the registration or request. A ballot is then mailed to the voter who sends it back to the election official after completing the absentee ballot. The vote is counted. However, voters may not be required to fill the entire form. Requirements may vary for uniformed service members and their families and for US citizens residing outside the country. Voter registration and absentee request can be made at the same time by submitting the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) form. If the voter is already registered with it and wishes to request a ballot, he is required to submit his FPCA only. “I have waited to be 18 so that I could vote. But when I finally was, I couldn't vote as I was not in America due to my father's job,” said Bob Arnold, a student from California. He said he had read about absentee votes playing an important role in the 2008 presidential elections. “I am sure that Californian voters around the world will not miss this chance to vote,” he said. California has always had one of the highest rates of absentee voting. According to official figures, absentee votes made up for 20 to 30 percent of the total votes since 1993. However, Bob's father, who requested anonymity, said he is dissatisfied with absentee voting. “It is confusing as each state has a different set of requirements for overseas voters. During the 2004 presidential elections, newspapers reported that nearly half of the approx. 6 million American voters living abroad never received their ballots, or received them very late. Also, some countries make it easier for their citizens to vote,” he said. In Sweden, Spain and Ireland, citizens can simply vote at their country's embassy or consulate on the election day. A presidential referendum of Pakistan was held in 2002 in Jeddah and Riyadh to facilitate overseas Pakistani voters. The United States created the Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP), an organ of the Department of Defense, to educate Americans expatriates about absentee voting. The US Embassy in the Kingdom opened a special desk to help its citizens to vote in this year's elections. In June, the embassy offered two Voting Assistance Workshops to train Americans to register and submit absentee ballots from Saudi Arabia. Eman Kaskas, an American expatriate, believed that convenience and mobility has resulted in the popularity of by-mail voting. “I was lucky to vote during the primaries as I was in Virginia. If not, I would have registered as an absentee voter,” she said. Eman's husband, Safi Kaskas, president of the Strategic Edge Company, said he regretted not voting as an absentee voter. “I really wanted to participate. But I will do it next time as this election's outcome has shown that anybody can be a president in a country where true democracy exists,” he said, adding that the common man's voice has been heard. Pointing at the recent elections, Kaskas said that in a ‘tight election', expatriates' votes are significant. “If the absentee voter belongs to a swing state, his vote could ultimately decide the winner,” he said. The Pentagon estimates that some 580,000 members of the US military and an approx. 100,000 civilian federal employees currently reside abroad. Twenty-three year old economic and religious studies graduate, Maha Kaskas, said she was proud to be a part of the elections through absentee voting. “This time we realized the importance of our votes. Like me, the American youth has voted for a ‘change',” she said. Kaskas said the overwhelming number of voters has proved that the American citizens were frustrated. “We did not miss our chance to vote, thanks to the possibility of absentee voting,” she said. __
