Casting a Vote While Abroad

Well, I voted! This came after online research; a trip to the U.S. Embassy in Moscow; document scans at the university; emails to the parents; and a final fax to the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder. That was a long process……

It is interesting to be on the other side of the globe when such an important election is taking place. Political ads do not fly across my television screen. I am far away from the political debate that is taking place on the Holy Cross campus. The presidential bumper sticker is a mystery to me during this political season. Lastly, the phone bank volunteers have yet to call my Russian cell phone to encourage me to vote against “Obama’s plans for American socialism” or against “Romney’s war on 47 percent of Americans.” That last sentence reminds me of how lucky I am to be in Russia right now.

Thankfully, I have not been “in the dark” during this election season. In fact, being in Russia has given me more clarity on the election. Thanks to online streaming, I watched the Presidential and Vice Presidential debates. I listened to commentators on Fox News, CNN, Al Jazeera and MSNBC. All this has been done without the distraction of political ads. But more importantly, I had the privilege of discussing the election with other international students. Listening to what individuals from Sweden, Germany, France, Russia and other countries have to say about the candidates has been an experience and a privilege. Hearing foreign perspectives on the candidates, American domestic politics, and world affairs has provided me with a well-rounded, albeit complex outlook on the election. I also listen to Russian talk radio when I do my homework. Therefore, I listened to my fair share of Russian perspective on the election. In the end, I feel that stepping outside my country’s borders has allowed me to develop a well-rounded outlook on the candidates, an outlook that developed after considering the perspectives of those dwelling outside of the United States.

If you are out of the country during an election season, don’t fear! Many voting districts allow you to fax or email your ballot. Furthermore, the local U.S. Embassy will have an American Citizen Services Unit that can assist you with your election needs. Happy voting!

This entry was posted on Monday, November 5th, 2012 at 4:53 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

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