CEROC is proud to facilitate this collective effort and your signature will make our dream become true. Note that, we just update this new petition platform today (as of 2 April 2014) after we have collected signatures for more than 1000 already.
Please print below sheets if you can help to collect signatures from your brothers, sisters, family members, friends and neighbors.
If you are a Western Australian who will be living or travelling overseas on election day, Saturday 5 April 2014, you can still vote. If you are enrolled to vote in WA you can:
Vote before you go at an early voting centre
Vote at one of 13 Australian overseas voting centres
Apply for a postal vote to be sent to you
Australian overseas voting centres
In person voting will be available at the following locations for the WA Senate election.
It may now be too late to apply for a postal vote online from Australia, as there may not be enough time for mail to reach you internationally. You can still apply for a postal vote directly with one of the 13 overseas posts listed above, however you should consider how long it will take for mail to reach you. The deadline for applying for a postal vote is Wednesday 2 April 2014.
You should complete your ballot paper on or before election day and post back to the AEC as soon as possible. You only have until Tuesday 22 April 2014 for your ballot papers to be received by the AEC returning officer in your division.
If you do not inform the AEC, we will write to you asking you to explain why you did not vote. If you explain you were overseas, you will not be fined.
Opposition leaders yesterday announced plans to hold a thousands-strong “people’s congress” in the capital’s Freedom Park on Sunday, despite a ban on gatherings at the site.
Cambodia National Rescue Party president Sam Rainsy and vice-president Kem Sokha, following their return from overseas trips to Australia, New Zealand and the US, said they would bring 5,000 supporters to the park.
“It is necessary to meet with citizens, and I would like to stress to the [Cambodian] People’s Party that our gathering [on Sunday] is not a demonstration,” Rainsy said. “There will be no demonstration or toppling of anything. [The CPP] cannot use [this cause] as a pretext to accuse us and not allow us to [hold public meetings].”
Rainsy added that the meetings would provide ideas for the CNRP ahead of renewed negotiations with the ruling party, which the opposition hopes will involve the most senior members of the government.
Senior CPP lawmaker Cheam Yeap, however, labelled the announcement a call for an illegal demonstration, and urged the CNRP to take its seats in parliament, saying: “His ‘congress’ is just words, but the reality is a demonstration. We already know this. So I would like [Rainsy] to release his 55 fighting cocks, and the CPP’s 68 fighting cocks will be waiting in the National Assembly.”
Rainsy added that a key CNRP demand for reform of the National Election Committee had been dismissed at negotiations, and called on the CPP to put forward its counter-proposal.
“If they do not agree, please propose another idea to guarantee independence of the NEC. What [ideas] does [the CPP] have? Come on,” he said.
There are a number of common misconceptions about voting from abroad, which can prevent Americans abroad from exercising their right to vote. Please help us dispel these myths!
Myth #1 “I can’t vote. I don’t have a US address anymore.”
WRONG.Regardless how long you have lived outside the country, you always retain the right to vote in US Federal elections. Your legal voting address is the last place you resided prior to departing the US. (If you havenever lived in the US, many states will allow you to vote using the legal voting address of one of your American parents. Also, depending on state law, it could be that studying or summering in the U.S. is enough to establish residence. Check with local authorities.)
Myth #2 “I don’t need to register. I did it last time.”
WRONG. The law has changed. Voters living abroad need to mail in a ballot request every Federal election year. Yes, there are some places, like California, which permit “permanent absentee” registration. But, don’t forget that our votes are administered by thousands of different local authorities across the country, each with its own understanding of the law.Better safe than sorry – send a new ballot request every election year!
Myth #3 “They don’t even count overseas ballots.”
WRONG.Absolutely 100% false. By law, every properly executed absentee ballot must be counted before a final vote count can be certified. However, if the number of outstanding ballots – overseas or otherwise – is smaller than the difference between two candidates, a winner may be called before every last vote has been tallied. Nonetheless, all outstanding ballots are counted before the election result can be certified.
Myth #4 “One vote can’t make a difference.”
WRONG.Just look at recent election results. Florida 2000: George W. Bush wins the state – and the presidency – by a margin of 537 votes.Washington 2004: Democrat Christine Gregoire becomes Governor by just 133 votes. Minnesota 2008: Al Franken is finally seated in the Senate with a 312-vote victory.
Myth #5 “If I vote, the IRS will hassle me.”
WRONG.Voting in US Federal elections does not affect the determination of tax liability or tax residence. You will not hear from the IRS because you voted in a Federal election, i.e. President, Senate, or House of Representatives. (Note: Voting in state and local elections can potentially affect state and local tax status. You should seek expert advice before voting in state or local elections.)
Myth #6 “Voting from abroad is so complicated.”
WRONG. This used to be true! Now, US citizens can complete the process of registering and requesting an absentee ballot – and spread the word to friends and colleagues! – in just two minutes flat at www.VoteFromAbroad.org.
