By Laureen Scharps (FAWCO Rep and FAWCO US Voting Committee member)
Women have every reason to be concerned about their own rights, the rights and safety of their children and the future of the planet. Here is a list of issues and reasons for overseas voters to register and vote in 2020.
- For gender equality
- For reproductive rights
- To secure access to Social Security and Medicare benefits without US residency
- To simplify financial reporting (FATCA, FBAR)
- For protection against domestic violence
- To promote school safety and common-sense gun laws
- To recognize children born abroad as “natural-born” US citizens
- To make higher education more accessible
- To take additional measures for environmental protection
- To create a “permanent status” option for qualified overseas voters
- To fight against discrimination of all kinds
- To elect candidates who represent the interests of overseas citizens
- To ensure access to foreign banks with low-cost savings and retirement products
- To end unfair citizenship-based taxation
- To ensure disability rights
- To protect human rights
- To protect the integrity of elections and fight voter suppression
- To act as role models for the next generation
- To make a difference
- To carry forward the work of women who fought for nearly a century so we can vote today.
FAWCO has advocated most of these goals for a long time, particularly when lobbying the US Congress during Overseas Americans Week and working towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as part of its United Nations advocacy.
Act now, register to vote
Register to vote now, using the website of one of FAWCO’s partners: the US Vote Foundation and the Federal Voter Assistance Program (FVAP). Act now, in part because primary elections to select candidates start very soon: see FVAP’s calendar of the 2020 primary elections by state and territory.
In 2020 US voters will choose not only the US President and Vice-President but also the US Congress: all 435 seats in the House of Representatives and about a third of Senate seats are up for grabs. State and local officials will also be elected on the same day.
The date of the General Election is Tuesday, November 3, 2020 – but overseas voters must cast and return their ballots much earlier than that. Be sure to vote only the ballot sent to you by your Local Election Official and follow the instructions carefully.