Saturday 16 January 2010

3 Days to Save Health Care Reform. It's up to you...


The Senate seat formerly held by Ted Kennedy is up for a special election on Tuesday, January 19th. Democrats have nominated Massachusetts' accomplished Attorney General Martha Coakley, and were sitting pretty with the assumption that we could easily hold the seat in this strongly democratic state - my home state, as it happens.

Shame on us.

We of all people should have know that you can NEVER take your voters for granted.

Republicans here see an opportunity to deprive Democrats of their coveted 60th Senate seat and to kill any prospect of health care reform in the process.

It could happen. But not if I can help it. I'll be spending all day tomorrow calling Massachusetts voters from the Democrats Abroad mailing list to make sure they get their ballots in. If you are a Massachusetts overseas voter, here's what you need know:
  • Yes you CAN vote in this election. Overseas voters are eligible to vote in all Federal elections, which includes all Senate and Congressional elections - including special elections. Remember, you vote at the last address where you lived in the US.  
  • Massachusetts should have sent you a ballot, but if you didn't receive one from the state you can still vote using the Federal Write in Absentee Ballot, which can can get either by filling out the form on http://www.votefromabroad.org/, or by downloading it directly here.
  • If you have not yet returned your ballot IT IS NOT TOO LATE. Massachusetts accepts ballots by e-mail and by fax. Again, the tool at http://www.votefromabroad.org/ will tell you where to fax or e-mail your ballot once you've completed the form, or you can call your local election official for more information.As long as you have sent it electronically by election  day - January 19 - your vote should be valid.
  • IMPORTANT: if you are faxing or e-mailing your ballot, you must also back this up by sending a postal copy as well. You can find the address of your election official here.
NOT A MASSACHUSETTS VOTER?

You can still help. Get on the phone today and start dialing! The Organizing for America website makes it easy to do this from anywhere in the world. Just go here and register or sign in.

1 comment:

KathyF said...

Karin, THANKS for this info. My daughter won't get back to school until Wednesday, and I didn't think about Fed Write In ballots until I read this. I just sent her this info.