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____________________________________________________2008-Election Voting Survey of Overseas Citizens
2008 Post-Election Voting
Survey of Overseas Citizens
You have been randomly selected to
participate in this survey. Your answers to
these questions, along with your comments
or opinions, can help change the voting
process to make it easier to vote. Absentee
ballots are crucial in ensuring that United
States citizens residing outside the United
States can vote.
Agency Disclosure Notice
(ADN)
The public reporting burden for this
collection of information is estimated to
average 15 minutes per response, including
the time for reviewing the instructions,
searching existing data sources, gathering
and maintaining the data needed, and
completing and reviewing the collection of
information. Send comments regarding this
burden estimate or any other aspect of this
collection of information, including
suggestions for reducing the burden, to the
Department of Defense, Executive Services
Directorate (0704-0125). Respondents
should be aware that notwithstanding any
other provision of law, no person shall be
subject to any penalty for failing to comply
with a collection of information if it does not
display a currently valid OMB control
number.
PLEASE DO NOT RETURN YOUR FORM
TO THE ABOVE ORGANIZATION,
RETURN COMPLETED FORM TO:
[Insert Address Here]
Privacy Act Statement
This survey does not collect or use
personally identifiable information and is not
retrieved by personal identifier. Therefore,
the information collected is not subject to the
Privacy Act of 1974, as amended (5 U.S.C.
§ 552a).
Informed Consent Information
for 2008 Post-Election Voting
Survey of Overseas Citizens
This notice informs you of the purpose of the
2008 Post-Election Voting Surveys and how
the findings of these surveys will be used.
Please read it carefully.
Authority: 42 United States Code, Section
1973ff
Principal Purpose: This survey is
conducted by the Federal Voting Assistance
Program (FVAP), which informs and
educates United States citizens of their
voting rights and fosters participation in the
democratic process.
Reports will be provided to the President
and to Congress.
Please take a few minutes to complete and
return this survey. You may also complete
this survey using the Internet. We strongly
urge you to use the electronic version
because it takes less time to complete than
the paper version. To access the Internet
version, go to:
www.drcsurveys.com/FVAP-OC
Your access code is on the back page of
this survey.
Disclosure: Providing information on this
survey is voluntary. Your survey responses
will be treated as private.
Returning this survey indicates your
agreement to participate in this research.
2008 Post-Election Voting Survey of Overseas Citizens – Paper Version (As of 06/26/2008)
7.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
1.
Were you a U.S. citizen on November 4, 2008?
Yes
No - stop here and return the survey
2.
Family members include your spouse and
anyone of voting age (18 years old and older)
who is related to you by blood, marriage, or
adoption, and depends on you for more than
half of their support. Not counting yourself,
how many family members who were at least
18 years old lived with you at your current
residence as of November 4, 2008?
0
What was your age on November 4, 2008?
1
17 years old or younger - stop here and return
the survey
2
18 to 24 years old
3
25 to 29 years old
4
30 to 34 years old
5 or more
35 to 44 years old
45 years old or older
3.
8.
In 2008, were you registered to vote in the
U.S.?
Yes
No
4.
On November 4, 2008, how long had you lived
outside the U.S.?
Your legal voting residence is the state where
you last resided immediately prior to your
departure from the U.S. This right extends to
overseas citizens even though they may no
longer own property or have other ties to their
last state of residence and their intent to return
to that state may be uncertain. As of the
November 4, 2008 election, what state or
territory was your legal voting residence?
Please enter the state or territory in the box
below.
Less than 1 year
1 year to less than 3 years
3 years to less than 6 years
6 years to less than 10 years
2008 ELECTION
10 years or more
5.
On November 4, 2008, in what overseas
country were you residing? Please enter the
name of the country in the box below.
9.
How interested or uninterested were you in the
U.S. elections held on November 4, 2008?
Very interested
Somewhat interested
Neither interested nor uninterested
6.
On November 4, 2008, how long had you
resided in this country?
Somewhat uninterested
Very uninterested
Less than 6 months
6 months to less than 1 year
1 year to less than 2 years
2 years to less than 3 years
3 years or more
DMDC
1
10. A lot of people were not able to vote because
they weren't registered, they were sick, they
didn't have time, or something else happened
to prevent them from voting. And sometimes,
people who USUALLY vote or who PLANNED
to vote forget that something UNUSUAL
happened on election day this year that
prevented them from voting THIS time. So
please think carefully for a minute about the
election held on November 4, and past
elections in which you may have voted, and
answer the following questions. During the
past 6 years, did you usually vote in national,
state, and local elections, or did you usually
not vote?
Usually voted
No
Yes
j.
k.
l.
The absentee voting process was too
complicated....................................................
I was concerned about federal or state
income tax liability..........................................
Some other reason (If yes, please
specify) ..........................................................
14. Even though you did not vote, did you request
an absentee ballot for the November 4, 2008
election?
Yes
Usually did not vote
11. During the months leading up to the election
held on November 4, did you ever plan to vote
in that election, or didn't you plan to vote?
Did plan to vote
No, but I automatically received an absentee
ballot from a local election official B GO TO
QUESTION 27
No, and I never received an absentee ballot B
GO TO QUESTION 27
Did not plan to vote
ABSENTEE BALLOTS
12. In the election held on November 4, did you
definitely vote in person on election day,
definitely mail or fax a completed absentee
ballot on or before November 4, definitely not
vote, or are you not completely sure whether
you voted in that election?
15. In what month did you first request your
absentee ballot for the November 4, 2008
election?
July 2008 or earlier
Definitely voted in person B GO TO
QUESTION 27
August 2008
Definitely voted by mail B GO TO QUESTION
15
September 2008
October 2008
Definitely did not vote
November 2008
Not sure B GO TO QUESTION 27
Do not recall
13. Did you not vote in the November 4, 2008
election for the following reasons? Mark Yes
or No for each reason.
a.
I was not interested in voting .........................
16. The Federal Post Card Application (FPCA)
(Standard Form 76) is a request for registration
and a regular (as opposed to back-up)
absentee ballot. Did you use the FPCA to
request your absentee ballot for the November
4, 2008 election or did you use another
method?
b.
I was too busy to vote ....................................
I used the Federal Post Card Application
(FPCA)
c.
I forgot to vote................................................
d.
I could not register to vote .............................
e.
I had no candidate preference .......................
f.
g.
I did not think my vote would matter ..............
I did not know how to get an absentee
ballot ..............................................................
h.
My absentee ballot arrived too late ................
i.
My absentee ballot did not arrive at all ..........
No
Yes
2
I used another method (Please specify) B GO
TO QUESTION 18
DMDC
2008 Post-Election Voting Survey of Overseas Citizens – Paper Version (As of 06/26/2008)
17. Did you obtain your Federal Post Card
Application (FPCA) to request your regular
absentee ballot for the November 4, 2008
election from any of the following sources?
Mark “Yes” or “No” for each source listed.
22. When did you complete and return your regular
absentee ballot for the November 4, 2008
election?
July 2008 or earlier
August 2008
No
September 2008
Yes
October 2008
a.
From the Federal Voting Assistance
Program (FVAP) ............................................
November 2008
b.
Through military channels..............................
Do not recall
c.
d.
From a U.S. Embassy or consulate ...............
From an overseas organization or
company ........................................................
e.
From a state or local election official..............
f.
Online from the Internet .................................
g.
h.
From a military post office..............................
Some other reason (If yes, please
specify) ..........................................................
18. During 2008, did you receive notification from
the local election official in the county/district
where you registered to vote that your regular
absentee ballot request had been received?
23. The Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB)
(Standard Form 186) is a back-up ballot
completed and returned if you are overseas
and do not receive your regular absentee
ballot. Did you use the FWAB in the November
4, 2008 election?
Yes
No B GO TO QUESTION 26
24. Did you obtain your Federal Write-In
Application (FWAB) for the November 4, 2008
election from the following sources? Mark
“Yes” or “No” for each source listed.
No
Yes
Yes
No
a.
From the Federal Voting Assistance
Program (FVAP) Web site..............................
Do not recall
b.
From some other contact with FVAP .............
c.
Through military channels ..............................
d.
From a U.S. Embassy or consulate ...............
e.
f.
From a state or local election official..............
From an overseas organization or
company ........................................................
g.
From another non-FVAP Web site .................
h.
i.
From a military post office ..............................
Some other source (If yes, please
specify) ..........................................................
19. Did you receive your regular absentee ballot for
the November 4, 2008 election?
Yes
No B GO TO QUESTION 23
20. When did you receive your regular absentee
ballot for the November 4, 2008 election?
July 2008 or earlier
August 2008
September 2008
October 2008
November 2008
Do not recall
25. When did you complete and return the Federal
Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB) for the
November 4, 2008 election?
September 2008
21. Did you complete and return your regular
absentee ballot for the November 4, 2008
election?
Yes
October 2008
November 2008
Do not recall
No B GO TO QUESTION 23
DMDC
3
26. What is the ONE MAIN REASON you did not
use the Federal Write-In Ballot (FWAB) for the
November 4, 2008 election? Mark only one.
29. Overall, in 2008, how satisfied or dissatisfied
were you with the information or assistance
you received from your embassy or consulate
Voting Assistance Officer (VAO)?
I did not know about the FWAB
Very satisfied
I knew about it, but didn't know how to get one
Satisfied
I knew about it, but could not get one
Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied
I had difficulty filling it out
Dissatisfied
I had already returned a regular absentee ballot
Very dissatisfied
Some other reason (Please specify)
30. Did you not receive voting information or
assistance from your embassy or consulate
Voting Assistance Officer (VAO) in 2008 for any
of the following reasons? Mark “Yes” or “No”
for each item.
VOTING ASSISTANCE
27. Voting Assistance Officers (VAOs) are
designated individuals who provide accurate,
non-partisan voting information and assistance
to citizens who wish to vote. Embassies and
consulates have assigned VAOs to carry out
this responsibility. During 2008, did you
receive voting information or assistance from
an embassy or consulate VAO?
b.
I did not have a VAO......................................
Yes
c.
I did not know who my VAO was ...................
No B GO TO QUESTION 30
d.
e.
I did not know how to contact my VAO ..........
My VAO was not available when I
needed assistance .........................................
My VAO was not helpful when I needed
assistance......................................................
My VAO did not have the materials or
information I needed ......................................
I did not need any voting information or
assistance......................................................
Some other reason (If yes, please
specify) ..........................................................
Yes
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
i.
4
Yes
I did not know I could get information or
assistance from the VAO ...............................
No
c.
No
a.
28. During 2008, did you receive the following
information or assistance from your embassy
or consulate Voting Assistance Officer (VAO)?
Mark “Yes” or “No” for each item.
a.
b.
Does not apply; I received voting information or
assistance from an embassy or consulate VAO
B GO TO QUESTION 31
Determining my eligibility to vote ...................
Understanding the absentee voting
process ..........................................................
Obtaining the Federal Post Card
Application (FPCA) ........................................
Completing the Federal Post Card
Application (FPCA) ........................................
Obtaining the Federal Write-In Absentee
Ballot (FWAB)................................................
Completing the Federal Write-In
Absentee Ballot (FWAB)................................
Finding information on candidates/issues......
Electronic transmission of election
materials (i.e., faxing, e-mailing) ....................
Some other voting information or
assistance (If yes, please specify) .................
f.
g.
h.
i.
31. The Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP)
Web site, www.fvap.gov provides voting related
information and resources. In preparation for
the 2008 primaries and general election, did
you visit this Web site?
Yes
No B GO TO QUESTION 34
DMDC
2008 Post-Election Voting Survey of Overseas Citizens – Paper Version (As of 06/26/2008)
32. In preparation for the 2008 primaries and
general election, how many times did you visit
the Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP)
Web site? Mark one.
36. Where did you obtain the 2008-09 Voting
Assistance Guide (VAG)? Mark “Yes” or “No”
for each item.
No
One
Yes
Two to four
a.
Five to ten
b.
Eleven or more
Do not recall
33. Overall, how satisfied or dissatisfied were you
with the Federal Voting Assistance Program
(FVAP) Web site when you visited it in 2008?
From the embassy or consulate Voting
Assistance Officer (VAO) ...............................
From the Federal Voting Assistance
Program (FVAP) Web site..............................
c.
From another Web site on the Internet ..........
d.
e.
From a CD ROM ............................................
Some other source (If yes, please
specify) ..........................................................
Very satisfied
Satisfied
Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied
37. During 2008, were you looking for the following
information in the 2008-09 Voting Assistance
Guide (VAG)? Mark “Yes” or “No” for each
item.
Dissatisfied
Very dissatisfied
34. Did you not visit the Federal Voting Assistance
Program (FVAP) Web site in 2008 for any of the
following reasons? Mark “Yes” or “No” for
each item.
Does not apply; I visited the FVAP Web site in
2008 B GO TO QUESTION 35
No
Yes
a.
How to register and vote absentee ................
b.
c.
Dates of elections and deadlines ...................
How to fill out the Federal Post Card
Application (FPCA) for your state...................
Mailing address for Federal Post Card
Application (FPCA) or ballot...........................
How to transmit the Federal Post Card
Application (FPCA) or voted ballot by fax ......
How to use the Federal Write-In
Absentee Ballot (FWAB) ................................
No
d.
Yes
e.
a.
I did not know about it. ...................................
b.
c.
I did not have Internet access ........................
I knew about it, but did not know the Web
site address ...................................................
I got all the information I needed from
other sources .................................................
d.
e.
f.
I did not think it would be useful.....................
Some other reason (If yes, please
specify) ..........................................................
f.
g.
Web site addresses .......................................
h.
i.
Where to go for help ......................................
Other type of voting related information
(If yes, please specify) ...................................
35. The Department of Defense 2008-09 Voting
Assistance Guide (VAG) provides state-bystate information about registering to vote and
requesting an absentee ballot. In preparation
for the 2008 primaries and general election, did
you refer to the VAG for information about
registering to vote or requesting an absentee
ballot?
Yes
No B GO TO QUESTION 39
DMDC
5
38. Overall, how would you rate the 2008-09 Voting
Assistance Guide (VAG) as a reference on
absentee voting procedures?
Does not apply; I used or referred someone ro
the FVAP toll-free telephone service B GO TO
QUESTION 39
41. Overall, how satisfied or dissatisfied were you
with the assistance you received in 2008 when
you called the Federal Voting Assistance
Program's (FVAP) toll-free telephone service?
Very satisfied
Satisfied
Excellent
Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied
Very good
Dissatisfied
Good
Very dissatisfied
Fair
Poor
39. Did you not use the 2008-09 Voting Assistance
Guide (VAG) for any of the following reasons?
Mark “Yes” or “No” for each item.
42. Did you not use the Federal Voting Assistance
Program's (FVAP) toll-free telephone service in
2008 for any of the following reasons? Mark
“Yes” or “No” for each item.
Does not apply; I used the FVAP toll-free
telephone service in 2008 B GO TO
QUESTION 43
Does not apply; I used the 2008-09 VAG B GO
TO QUESTION 40
No
No
Yes
Yes
a.
I did not know about it....................................
b.
c.
I knew about it, but could not get a copy........
I got all the information I needed from
another source...............................................
Some other reason (If yes, please
specify) ..........................................................
d.
40. The Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP)
provides a toll-free telephone service from
many countries that allows a caller to ask FVAP
staff for voting information or assistance. Did
you use this service to talk with a FVAP staff
member in 2008?
a.
b.
c.
d.
I did not know about it ....................................
I knew about it, but I did not know what it
was for ...........................................................
I knew about it, but I did not know the
telephone number ..........................................
I got all the information I needed from
other sources .................................................
e.
I did not need it ..............................................
f.
It was a long-distance call..............................
g.
h.
I could not get through ...................................
A toll-free number is not available in my
country of residence ......................................
Some other reason (If yes, please
specify) ..........................................................
i.
Yes
No B GO TO QUESTION 42
6
DMDC
2008 Post-Election Voting Survey of Overseas Citizens – Paper Version (As of 06/26/2008)
OTHER SOURCES OF VOTING INFORMATION
Not available
Did not use
43. If you received voting information from any of
the following sources in 2008, how satisfied or
dissatisfied were you with the information?
Mark one answer for each item.
Not at all useful
Not very useful
Not available
Somewhat useful
Did not use
Useful
Very dissatisfied
Very useful
e.
Dissatisfied
Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied
Satisfied
f.
Very satisfied
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
U.S. Embassy
or consulate ...........
Other Federal
agency/
agencies ................
Political
organizations .........
Other private
organization or
company ................
State or local
election official .......
g.
How To Do It!
Absentee Voting
Frequently
Asked
Questions...............
Federal Voting
Assistance
Program (FVAP)
Web site/CD
ROM training..........
“Get Out the
Vote” public
service ad
campaign ...............
45. If you used the following sources to obtain any
kind of voting information in 2008, how useful
was each one? Mark one answer for each item.
Not available
Did not use
44. If you used any of the following sources of
voting information in 2008, how useful was
each one? Mark one answer for each item.
Not at all useful
Not very useful
Not available
Somewhat useful
Did not use
Useful
Not at all useful
Very useful
Not very useful
Somewhat useful
Useful
a.
b.
Very useful
c.
a.
b.
c.
d.
DMDC
Voting
Information
News (VIN)
newsletters.............
Voting News
Releases................
“It's your Future.
VOTE for it!” or
“Road Sign”
motivational
posters ...................
Election dates
chart.......................
d.
e.
f.
Local television,
radio and print
media .....................
CNN
International ...........
Armed Forces
Radio/TV ................
International
Herald Tribune .......
USA Today
International ...........
Other U.S.
civilian
newspapers,
magazines,
radio, or TV ............
g.
Family or friends ....
h.
The Internet............
7
ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION OF VOTING
MATERIALS
2006 ELECTION
48. Elections for the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of
Representatives were held in 2006. A lot of
respondents did not get to vote because they
weren't registered, they were sick, or they just
didn't have time. How about you -- did you
vote in that election?
46. Some states allow you to fax voting materials
such as your absentee ballot request or the
completed ballot itself. During 2008, did you
fax any of the following materials? Mark one
answer for each item.
No
Yes
No B GO TO QUESTION 50
Yes, but not using the FVAP toll-free faxing
service
Do not recall B GO TO QUESTION 50
Yes, using the FVAP toll-free faxing service
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
49. In the November 2006 election, did you
definitely vote in person, definitely mail in a
completed absentee ballot, definitely not vote,
or are you not sure whether you voted in that
election?
Federal Post Card Application
(FPCA)...................................................
Non-Federal Post Card Application
request for absentee ballot ....................
Ballot......................................................
Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot
(FWAB)..................................................
Other voting materials (If yes,
please specify).......................................
Definitely voted in person
Definitely voted by mail
Definitely did not vote
Not sure
47. Some states allow you to e-mail voting
materials such as your absentee ballot request
or the completed ballot itself. During 2008, did
you e-mail any of the following materials?
Mark “Yes” or “No” for each item.
No
COMMENTS
50. In the space below, please provide any
comments you have about this questionnaire,
the Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP),
or the absentee voting process in 2008.
Yes
8
a.
b.
Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) ..........
Non-Federal Post Card Application
(FPCA) request for absentee ballot ...............
c.
Ballot..............................................................
d.
e.
Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB) .....
Other voting materials (If yes, please
specify) ..........................................................
DMDC
| File Type | application/pdf |
| File Title | 2008 Post-Election Voting Survey of Local Election Officials |
| Author | Quiglebm |
| File Modified | 2008-07-31 |
| File Created | 2008-06-27 |