Voting assistance officers prepare for fall elections Published May 2, 2012 By Tech. Sgt. Eric Petosky 51st Fighter Wing Public Affairs OSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea -- More than 40 volunteers from Osan Air Base attended Military Voting Assistance Officer training at the base theater May 2, 2012, to prepare for the absentee voting process for fall elections in the U.S. Besides the Presidential Election in November, there are 33 Senate seats, 435 Congressional seats, 11 state governor positions, and two territorial governor positions up for grabs. The Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act of 1986 gives military members, civilians, contractors and their dependents the right to vote regardless of where they live. "Voting in America is important - we all know that," said Chief Master Sgt. Brendan Criswell, 51st Fighter Wing command chief. "This is a huge opportunity for us to help Airmen understand why it's important, and continue to promote the democratic process that we hold so dear." Voting Assistance Officers trained on the intricacies of registering to vote and actually casting a ballot while serving or living abroad. The focus of voting assistance is not to influence an individual's choice of candidate for a particular election, but to inform and educate on the absentee voting process, said John Godley, Federal Voting Assistance Program senior program analyst. "There is a myth that absentee ballots don't count unless it's a close race," he said. "The fact is that all votes are counted no matter where the voter is living." Godley described six elections in the past decade which have been decided by a vote margin less than the number of absentee ballots cast, including two state electoral races for president. He said election result forecasts by the media sometimes make absentee ballots seem unimportant, but that everyone's vote counts. "All U.S. citizens have the right to vote," said Paul Smith, U.S. Forces Korea policy and programs officer. "Just because you are overseas doesn't mean your vote counts any less. The absentee voting program is light years ahead of where it was when I was active-duty. It's so easy to make your voice heard." Voting Assistance Officers will have all the resources necessary for eligible voters to register in their home states or territories. For information on absentee voting, visit the Federal Voting Assistance Program website, or contact your unit's Voting Assistance Officer. "It's so important that our military is involved," Criswell concluded. "Your voice and your vote counts."