Unit voting assistance officers making rounds as primaries near

  • Published
  • By Tyler Hemstreet
  • Staff writer
MCCHORD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. --  From the Voting Assistance page on the McChord intranet site to the Unit Voting Assistance Counselors assigned to each unit, there are a multitude of tools and resources on hand to help Airmen cast their ballots in the upcoming local and national election. 

Although high deployment rates and operations tempo can sometimes make it difficult for Airmen to cast their ballot, the Federal Voting Assistance Program has several ways to help Airmen vote, said Maj. Gregory Ulrich, the installation voting assistance officer. 

Internet sites created by the Air Force Personnel Center and Federal Voting Assistance Program allow service members to obtain voting information, register online, and, in many states, check the status of their registration and absentee ballot. Advances in technology have made registering and voting easier for military members and their families, Major Ulrich said. 

"This is an extremely important election year," he said. "Come November, voters will decide who will lead us into the future. As military members and Department of Defense civilians supporting McChord, this is especially true in that we will be electing a new commander in chief along with state and local officials." 

Military members and Department of Defense civilians also have unit voting assistance officers to provide personal support both at home and abroad. McChord has many UVAOs who are trained to assist military members and their families with voter registration and absentee ballots. For a complete listing of UVAOs and many other important pieces of voting information, users can visit the McChord Share Point site at: https://62aw.mcchord.af.mil/VotingAssistance/default.aspx 

In a memorandum to military secretaries and top commanders sent in November, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates underscored the importance of extending voting rights to servicemembers at home and abroad. 

"It is important that the department and the services be prepared to carry out the voting assistance mission to inform and educate U.S. citizens of the right to vote, foster voting participation and protect the integrity of the electoral process," Secretary Gates said. 

The first week of September is Armed Forces Voters Week, and UVAOs will man booths in high-traffic areas such as the BX, commissary, clinic and Child Development Center to assist with registering, receiving absentee ballots and obtaining voting information. State election officials will also be available at some locations to assist those registered locally. 

For Washington residents, the Top 2 Primary will be held Aug. 19. Residents do not need to declare a party preference to vote in this primary, however, they do need to be a registered voter in the state of Washington. For more information, visit http://www.secstate.wa.gov/elections/. 

(Information from an American Forces Press Service story was used in this article.)