Get the info, be prepared for voting season Published Oct. 3, 2014 By Staff Sgt. Alexander Martinez 15th Wing Public Affairs JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii -- With general state elections only weeks away, service members stationed all over the world still have an opportunity to vote in their state of residency. "Voting is one of the greatest powers we have as U.S. citizens --that's why it's so important to vote," said Robert Lauderdale, 15th Wing voting assistance officer. To register to vote, simply visit FVAP.gov, select your state from the drop-down menu and follow the registration steps. Here you can also request an absentee ballot and update your voter information to start the process of completing a Federal Postcard Registration. Lauderdale said an important thing for voters to consider is that every state has different voting programs so it's important to know the rules and voting timeframe for their state. "The big thing voters need to do is check their state to make sure they can send their ballots in on time," Lauderdale said. For those who requested a state ballot and are still waiting, you can use the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot as a back-up ballot. If you receive your state ballot after submitting the FWAB, use it to vote and return the ballot; your vote will only be counted once, even if both the state ballot and the FWAB are submitted. As a benefit for service members and their families, the Military Postal Service Agency provides free expedited ballot delivery and ballot tracking. They will receive a special label on their ballot and can track its delivery at www.usps.com. For more information on the Federal Voting Assistance Program, or if you need help with the voting process, call 1-800-438-8683 or visit FVAP.gov.