Absentee ballots help students abroad
Casting a vote this November can be a time-consuming process for those overseas
Chris Henson
Issue date: 10/18/04 Section: Campus News
Sophomore Jon Radcliffe is excited about voting on Nov. 2.
"I feel that it is my civic duty and that I am not taking advantage of the rights I can exercise only every four years by not voting," Radcliffe said in an e-mail.
There's only one problem: Radcliffe is thousands of miles away from UW-Eau Claire in Latvia.
Radcliffe is one of 106 fall and academic year Eau Claire students abroad, according to the Center for International Education's records. These students have an equal right to vote in the upcoming election, but some have encountered difficulties while trying to vote.
Radcliffe, who just received his absentee ballot last week after more than a month of struggles. He encountered difficulties receiving a ballot because of a slow response to his application.The delayed availability of applications was due tbecuase of a law that prevents the distribution of absentee ballots until party conventions are over.
Senior Jeremy Gragert, who is also studying in Latvia, said in his program, only one of the other nine students has received their absentee ballot, a fact that disturbs him.
"I don't want a difficult system to stop me, or anyone," Gragert said in an e-mail. "I also know that many people overseas and at home will not vote because it is too hard."
Not every student abroad has had a difficult time casting their vote.
"I haven't had any difficulties," senior Danielle Brabender, who is studying in Australia, said in an e-mail. "The study abroad office gave me all the information I needed and I just printed off the forms online and sent them in."
On June 21 the CIE sent an e-mail to all students who were to be outside the U.S. at the time of the election. It outlined the process the students needed to take in order to have their vote counted.
"All we can really do is direct them to resources," study abroad coordinator Colleen Marchwick said.
Marchwick said the CIE encourages students to vote. She said the international focus on the U.S. presidential election makes it even more important for people to be engaged in the political system while abroad and in turn, encouraging participation by students abroad.
"I feel that it is my civic duty and that I am not taking advantage of the rights I can exercise only every four years by not voting," Radcliffe said in an e-mail.
There's only one problem: Radcliffe is thousands of miles away from UW-Eau Claire in Latvia.
Radcliffe is one of 106 fall and academic year Eau Claire students abroad, according to the Center for International Education's records. These students have an equal right to vote in the upcoming election, but some have encountered difficulties while trying to vote.
Radcliffe, who just received his absentee ballot last week after more than a month of struggles. He encountered difficulties receiving a ballot because of a slow response to his application.The delayed availability of applications was due tbecuase of a law that prevents the distribution of absentee ballots until party conventions are over.
Senior Jeremy Gragert, who is also studying in Latvia, said in his program, only one of the other nine students has received their absentee ballot, a fact that disturbs him.
"I don't want a difficult system to stop me, or anyone," Gragert said in an e-mail. "I also know that many people overseas and at home will not vote because it is too hard."
Not every student abroad has had a difficult time casting their vote.
"I haven't had any difficulties," senior Danielle Brabender, who is studying in Australia, said in an e-mail. "The study abroad office gave me all the information I needed and I just printed off the forms online and sent them in."
On June 21 the CIE sent an e-mail to all students who were to be outside the U.S. at the time of the election. It outlined the process the students needed to take in order to have their vote counted.
"All we can really do is direct them to resources," study abroad coordinator Colleen Marchwick said.
Marchwick said the CIE encourages students to vote. She said the international focus on the U.S. presidential election makes it even more important for people to be engaged in the political system while abroad and in turn, encouraging participation by students abroad.