JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas –
Service members, their families and Department of Defense civilians will learn about the processes and guidelines for exercising their right to vote at the Voting Assistance Workshop from 9-11 a.m. March 17 at Arnold Hall, building 5506, 1560 Stewart Street, at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland.
The workshop is hosted by the JBSA-Lackland Military & Family Readiness Center and is being facilitated by Brian Griffiths, Federal Voting Assistance Program senior program analyst from Washington, D.C.
The Federal Voting Assistance Program, or FVAP, is a voter assistance and education program established by the Department of Defense to ensure that service members, their family members and U.S. citizens overseas are aware of their right to vote and have the tools and resources to do so.
Tracy Bramlett, JBSA-Lackland installation voting assistance officer, said the workshop is open to any service member, whether active duty or reserve, military family members, DOD civilians and voting assistance officers from all JBSA locations and anyone else who is interested in and wants to learn about the voting process as provided by FVAP.
Workshop attendees will also learn about the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, the federal law that extends absentee voting rights to servicemembers, their eligible family members and overseas citizens.
“The purpose of the workshop is to make sure people understand and exercise their right to vote under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act no matter where they’re stationed,” Bramlett said.
In addition, the workshop will include interactive, hands-on training on resources and tools available for voting assistance officers that can help them in providing assistance to service members and their families and DOD civilians to ensure their right to vote. This includes the types of forms that service members, military family members or DOD civilians must fill out that will allow them to cast an absentee ballot and online resources that educate voters about voting.
A representative from the Bexar County Elections Office will be at the workshop to discuss voting trends the county election office has noticed from active-duty members, military family members and voters affiliated with the military in previous elections.
The workshop meets all certification guidelines for voting assistance officers.
Deadline to register for the workshop is March 11. To register and for more information, call 210-671-3722/23 or email lackland.vote@us.af.mil.