WARDEN INFORMATION

Embassy Ankara Warden Message 22

Urgent 2006 U.S. Elections Notice

October 8 - 14, 2006 is Absentee Voting Week

 

U.S. citizens who wish to vote in the November 7, 2006 mid-term elections, and who have not yet requested an absentee ballot, are urged to do so immediately. See your state's registration and absentee ballot request deadlines at http://www.fvap.gov/pubs/ocgendeadlines.html .

If you have already received your blank ballot from local election officials in the U.S., vote and submit it without delay to ensure that your vote will be counted.

The American Citizens Services Section in Ankara has extended its hours of operation the week of October 10-13, 2006 to 8:30-12:00 a.m. and 13:00-17:00 p.m. to accommodate voters.

Pay careful attention to your state’s ballot receipt deadlines, and comply with any post-marking, witnessing or notarization requirements. See http://www.fvap.gov/pubs/vag/vagchapter3.html . We will place a date stamp and consular seal on all ballot envelopes presented to the Consular Section, and will witness or notarize your ballot free of charge. For your convenience, a U.S. postage-paid envelope template is available on-line (see below).

Some states allow faxing or e-mailing of ballots; others require that the ballots be mailed. See your state’s rules for use of fax or e-mail at http://www.fvap.gov/ivas/fvap_state_menu.html.

Overseas voters who are required to mail in their voted ballots should plan to allow up to three weeks for delivery via U.S. diplomatic pouch or international mail.

Some express mail companies have traditionally offered special rates or services for U.S. overseas voters. Check locally for available services. The Department of State is aware that FedEx is offering free delivery of voted ballots for Americans residing in South America and in the East Asia/Pacific region. FedEx cannot deliver to a P.O. Box address; have available the street address for your local election officials.

Voters who fail to receive a ballot from their local election officials may be eligible to use a federal emergency write-in ballot. The Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot, or FWAB, is available on-line from the Federal Voting Assistance Program website at http://www.fvap.gov/pubs/forms.html, as is a postage-paid envelope template for use in sending the voted ballot or FWAB back to election official through U.S. postal channels (APO/FPO/DPO/Pouch).

 

Contact information for the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Turkey:

The U.S. Embassy in Ankara is at 110 Ataturk Boulevard, tel: (90)(312) 455-5555, fax (90)(312) 468-6131. The Internet address is http://ankara.usembassy.gov .

The U.S. Consulate General in Istanbul is located at Kaplicalar Mevkii Sokak No. 2, 34460, Istinye, Sariyer, tel: (90) (212) 335-9000, fax (90) (212) 335-9102. Istanbul-specific information can also be accessed via the Consulate's website http://istanbul.usconsulate.gov .

The U.S. Consulate in Adana is located at Girne Bulvari No. 212, Guzelevler Mahallesi, Yuregir, Adana, Turkey. tel: 90)(322) 346-6262, fax (90)(322) 346-7916,web site at http://adana.usconsulate.gov .