ANDREWS AFB, Md. –
In order to vote in the state's primary of a persons' state of residence, or the general election, one must be registered to vote in that state and normally indicate which party they align themselves with for the primary.
With Christmas and New Years only recently past, our minds are understandably not focused on the up and coming election. Our republic never sleeps, however, and after returning from a relaxing and invigorating winter rest, presidential primaries are in full swing. Now is a good time to reflect on the history of the process that helps select the presidential candidates that we will ultimately vote for in November.
Up until 1832, no clear-cut rules existed for political parties and their candidates, presidential or otherwise, as parties themselves had not solidified until the early 19th century.
Oregon was the first state to create a presidential preference primary in 1910 and until 1968, the system was varied at best until morphing into the binding primary elections that we enjoy today. It is through these state primaries that the two dominant political parties select their presidential candidate that we vote for on Nov. 4.
A common misconception is that voting information is kept through moves. This is not always true, as voting information can - and often is - lost. As a general rule, people should register to vote in their state of residence after every PCS to ensure that their state has the most up-to-date information. The reasons for this are obvious but voting materials most often will not be forwarded to a new address. If you haven't received a ballot in a while, that could be why.
Registering is a simple process and can be accomplished in several ways. One is to contact a voting representative in or near your unit and fill out a Form 76A. You could also get this form at the local DMV or post office. If you would rather register from home, you can visit www.fvap.gov, download the form, and print a postage-free address label on an envelope and mail it to your respective voting office. As primary dates are coming soon and registration deadlines are fast approaching, don't be left out just because you couldn't take the time to fill out a form.
For more voting information, contact Capt. Robert Rennel at 301-981-6025.