DEADLINES FOR THE ILLINOIS SPECIAL GENERAL ELECTION
February 27, 2013 - Alexandria, Va. - The State of Illinois will conduct a Special General Election on Tuesday, April 9, 2013, for the 2nd Congressional District in order to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Jesse Jackson, Jr. This district consists of parts of the City of Chicago, south suburban Cook County, Kankakee County, and Will County.
Every military and overseas voter from the 2nd Congressional District who wishes to participate in this election must submit a new Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) for 2013 elections if you have not already done so this year. Your FPCA can be submitted electronically or by mail or fax. You may choose to use the automated tool at www.FVAP.gov to prepare and print your forms. FPCA forms are also available in embassies, consulates, and military installations around the world.
Be sure to indicate on the FPCA how you would like to receive your absentee ballot (electronically or by mail 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 with your ballot. The State of Illinois will also allow you to receive and return your ballot electronically for this Special General Election only.
| **New** Important Dates | |
|---|---|
| Ballot sent to you from election authority (if requested by March 8) | March 8, 2013 |
| FPCA request deadline for overseas citizens | March 11, 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 | April 1, 2013 |
| Voted paper ballot postmarked to election authority | Before midnight, April 8, 2013 |
| Voted ballot transmitted to election authority if sending ballot by electronic method | 7 p.m., CST, April 9, 2013 |
| Voted paper ballot received by election authority | April 23, 2013 |
If you applied in a timely fashion 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 www.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/.
If you choose to return your ballot (including the FWAB) by mail, your voted ballot must be postmarked before midnight, April 8, 2013, or shipped via commercial carrier prior to Election Day, and the ballot must be received by the election authority by April 23, 2013. If you choose to return your ballot electronically for this election, the ballot must be received by 7 p.m., CST, April 9, 2013. Your local election official will provide you with instructions for returning your ballot or your FWAB using these electronic methods.
Go to www.FVAP.gov to fill out and print your forms today! Additional information on the completion and submission of these forms is available on the site along with 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 #5
