I would expect that everyone in the US and world is aware of barriers currently being put in place to reduce the ability to vote in the upcoming 2020 presidential election.
Living as an expat in Mexico, we’re used to having to stand on our heads to get our voices heard and counted. There are many steps involved. If we can do it, you certainly can, so please get on it.
Our permanent address in Texas is provided by Escapees.com. They are predominately a service provider to collect mail for RVers who travel and live out of their campers.
It’s handy for us. Escapees holds onto our mail until we are visiting the US or have a guest coming down who has space in their luggage.
We use the address they provide on our driver’s licenses, for banking and for voting. Texas, as a red state does not make voting easy. Surprise, surprise. Here are the steps we go through to vote.
1. Download from vote.org a REQUEST for a ballot and fill it out.
2. That request form is then hand carried to the US by a friend who is traveling. (We had planned to be in the US to vote, but Covid-19 changed that option).They will mail it to our county election office.
3. Polk County will then mail our BALLOT to a friend who will send it to us by FedEx or DHL which delivers to Mexico.
4. Upon receipt, we will fill out the official ballot and FedEx it back to Polk County Election Office.
This week I posted to a local FB page in an effort to get ballots NOTB (North of the Border) to vote in the upcoming presidential election. I was dismayed by the following response.
If we can do it, you can do it. Please vote November 3, no matter what it takes.
DOS TORTAS
Fvap.gov
Vote.org
the adventures of dos tortas 
Good for you for making sure your vote is counted, no matter what it takes. We’ve been traveling full-time since 2011 and have always managed to find a way to vote absentee, but it can certainly be challenging to get the ballots back and forth if you are overseas. It seems like we were able to vote online in 2012, as we were living in Belize at the time. In 2016 and 2018 we were in the US so were able to mail in our ballots. We have a Florida mail service and address through St. Brendan’s Isle, similar to the service you use.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Gotta do what we gotta do.
LikeLike
Thank you for voting. I’m grateful that Virginia offers different ways–I had thought to vote by mail, even ordered a ballot. With all of the insanity of the USPS I’ve decided to vote early in person.
LikeLiked by 1 person
GFY. I would have done the same. Really thought we’d be in the states for my 50 high school reunion. Got cancelled.
LikeLike
Yes, yes, yes. At the end of the day, our votes are all that count.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It is hard to be hopeful w all the BS. Especially since I’m removed from it. I just pray.
LikeLike
How sad that person would not trust you. I’m glad you go through the hoops necessary to vote. Arizona has made it harder because only a family member or a person providing direct medical care in the home can deliver another person’s ballot. For anyone else to do so, it is a felony. Yes, others can put it in the mail for you. But they cannot carry it in and put it in the county ballot box during early voting.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Lord and I thought Texas was bad.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Same is true in Texas re: hand delivery of mail-in ballot to approved site. Cannot deliver to polling place. Mail-in ballot can, of course, be posted through USPS. Below is copied from official Travis County Registrar’s Office:
The requirements of hand delivery are pretty straightforward:
• You may only hand deliver your own carrier envelope.
• You will be asked to present an acceptable form of ID.
• You will be asked to sign a signature roster.
• Then you will deposit your mail-in ballot into a ballot box.
Under Texas law, ballots may only be hand delivered to locations where the County Clerk conducts regular business. The locations specified above are the locations where we conduct regular business.
LikeLiked by 1 person