DEADLINES FOR ILLINOIS SPECIAL PRIMARY ELECTION CHANGED BY CONSENT DECREE WITH DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
January 16, 2013 - Alexandria, Va. - Deadlines for the Tuesday, February 26, 2013, Special Primary Election for Illinois's 2nd Congressional District have been changed by a consent decree between the State of Illinois and the U.S. Department of Justice and approved by the Federal Court. The 2nd Congressional District consists of parts of the City of Chicago, south suburban Cook County, Kankakee County, and Will County; the vacancy was created by the resignation of Jesse Jackson, Jr.
Please note that you will not receive a ballot automatically, even if you voted in the November 6, 2012, General Election; every military and overseas voter must submit a new Federal Post Card Application (FPCA). To participate in this election, you must request an absentee ballot by mail, fax, or electronically using the automated tool at FVAP.gov. Be sure to indicate on the FPCA how you would like to receive your absentee ballot (by mail, email, or fax). For this election, if you choose to receive your ballot by mail, your ballot will be sent by express mail delivery and information about express delivery return will be included. You may also choose to receive and return (as a result of the recent consent decree) your ballot electronically for this Special Primary and Special General Election
| **NEW** Important Dates | |
|---|---|
| Ballot sent to you from election authority (if requested by Jan 15) | January 15, 2013 |
| FPCA request deadline for overseas citizens | January 28, 2013 |
| FPCA request deadline for Uniformed Services personnel, their spouses and dependents, U.S. government employees outside of the U.S., and non-resident civilians (Americans who have never resided within the U.S.) | February 19, 2013 |
| Voted paper ballot postmarked to election authority | Before midnight, February 25, 2013 |
| Voted ballot transmitted to election authority if sending ballot by electronic method | 7 p.m., CST, February 26, 2013 |
| Voted ballot received by election authority | March 2013 |
If you have applied timely for an absentee ballot and are concerned about not receiving your ballot in time to vote, use the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB). The FWAB automated tool is available at FVAP.gov. The FWAB is also available in embassies, consulates, and military installations around the world.
To determine the status of your absentee ballot request, contact your local election office. You can find contact information for your voting jurisdiction at https://www.fvap.gov/r3/jurisdictions/IL. You can also track the status of your ballot at https://move.elections.il.gov/.
Although we recommend you return your voted ballot as soon as possible, the candidate choices on your ballot may change after the ballot is transmitted to you. By January 31, the State of Illinois will send a notice of the final list of the candidates who will appear on the ballot for the Special Primary Election. That list will also appear on their website at: http://www.elections.il.gov/.
Pursuant to court order, you may choose to return your ballot by mail, fax or email. If you choose to return your ballot by mail, your voted ballot must be postmarked before midnight, February 25, 2013 or shipped via commercial carrier prior to Election Day, and the ballot must be received by the election authority by March 6, 2013. If you choose to return your ballot electronically for this election, the ballot must be received by 7 p.m., CST, February 26, 2013. Your local election official will provide you with instructions for returning your ballot or your FWAB using these electronic methods.
Go to FVAP.gov to fill out and print your forms today! Additional information on the completion and submission of these forms is also available, as well as Illinois voter-specific information.
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For more information on FVAP or assistance with the absentee voting process, visit FVAP.gov for live chat assistance, call FVAP at 1-800-438-VOTE or DSN 425-1584 (CONUS)/312-425-1584 (OCONUS), or email vote@fvap.gov. Remember, you also can contact your unit or installation voting assistance officers for assistance during any step of the process.
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PDF version of FVAP News Release #2
