2008 Absentee Voting
Absentee Voting in Argentina
More than 3,000 American citizens received voting assistance from U.S. Embassy Buenos Aires in the months leading up to the November 4, 2008 U.S. Presidential Election.
The Embassy began its efforts to assist U.S. citizen voters more than one year ago with consular personnel providing voters information about how to register and request absentee ballots for the state primaries and caucuses. Throughout the year, consular teams offered voting services in Mendoza, Cordoba, Rosario and throughout greater Buenos Aires. In August, the Embassy provided training in voting assistance to 25 Americans eager to get out the vote. Several expatriate groups, including the Buenos Aires International Newcomers and Democrats Abroad, also provided voting assistance. (There is no formal chapter of Republicans Abroad in Argentina.)
Thirty-eight U.S. states required absentee ballots to arrive in the election offices by Election Day. Others required only that the ballots be postmarked by November 4. A few states allow residents to submit the voted ballots by fax. The last shipment of postmarked absentee ballots went out from the Embassy at 5 p.m. November 4th.
Voting in the United States is not compulsory, and citizens living overseas are not required to go through the Embassy to request voting materials or send their ballots. Many voters from Argentina sought information and voting materials directly from their states' election websites or from federal websites and sent their votes to their home states independently.
