As a GW Votes Student Ambassador, I understand the importance of voting in every election. I couldn’t go three semesters preaching the importance of voting and drop the ball when I went abroad. While it helps that I have a background from GW Votes and other advocacy work, it is still tricky, stressful, and expensive (sometimes) to vote from abroad.
My permanent residency is in the state of Minnesota, which is an easier state to vote absentee in. TurboVote sent me information a month before Minnesota’s primary elections to request my ballot and mail it to ensure it was counted for the election! TurboVote then sent me to the MN Secretary of State Office’s website, where I could order my ballot to be sent to me via mail, email, or in-person pickup (which seemed counterintuitive when they knew I was voting from abroad). They also had the option of a proxy voter, where my parents could vote on my behalf, which required a notary to sign it (which was more time, money, and drama). I opted to have my ballot and instructions sent to me via email, which came a few days after I filled out my application, once they had verified my information and identity. I printed out the instructions and ballot papers and could fill in my ballot and documents in minutes. The state even sent two pieces of paper with fold lines to make makeshift envelopes for transit. The directions told me that the prepaid postage would work from anywhere worldwide if I used the “diplomatic pouch” at the local embassy. I opted to put postage stamps on it and mail it the old-fashioned way, mainly because the US embassy isn’t near my dorm or school.
It wasn’t lost on me how ironic it was to attach two photos of the English Monarch (as stamps) to my American election ballot. Sure enough, it was sent off via royal mail and received in the US about three weeks later; thank goodness I started the process early. The state of MN has an excellent website for the secretary of state where you can track your ballot and see where it is in the absentee ballot process, which adds to my peace of mind that my ballot will be counted. One of my friends from abroad, who is from Canada, found the process easy and fascinating as I explained the importance of primary and general elections and answered questions about our system while filling out my ballot.
GW offers many resources to assist students with absentee voting from DC and abroad. It is crucial to make your voice heard no matter where you are in the world!
Lauren Mccutcheon
Spring 2024
GW England - King's College London (GW Study Program)
Milken Institute School of Public Health
Public Health Major