Voting is undoubtedly more complicated for many military families than civilians. Between frequent moves and overseas duty stations, it can be annoying at best and prohibitively complicated at worst. At Secure Families Initiative, we understand the challenges because we live them too, which is why we know the value of celebrating every vote.
Join us in celebrating! Share photos of your voting experience, using the hashtag #MilspouseVote.
Being a Military Voter has Unique Challenges
We have an entire step-by-step guide about registering to vote while military because we know it’s not a simple process. And that’s just the first step in making your vote count. The final, and sometimes most complicated step, is actually casting a ballot.
According to The State of the Military Voter report from the Federal Voting Assistance Program, in 2006 “[o]f the one million ballots sent to military and overseas voters in 2006, only one-third were cast or counted.” Only one third!
It’s no wonder, then, that it feels like a major accomplishment when that ballot actually gets turned in. At Secure Families Initiative, we want to celebrate and acknowledge every military spouse vote.
For many folks, when you vote in person, you receive the classic “I voted” sticker. Think of the #MilspouseVote campaign as our virtual “I voted” sticker – and wear yours with pride online.
Update: we now have “I voted by mail” stickers so we don’t miss out on civic engagement swag!
#MilspouseVote General Election Update
I traveled “home” to Ohio last week to vote early in person. I completely trust vote by mail and have voted that way the majority of my life, but I was healthy and able to vote in person so I made the choice to vote in person this election. Bonus: I got to take my daughter with me and we voted with my mom. It was pretty special and totally worth the trip.
Like so many milspokses, Sarah voted by mail last week in Virginia. And, of course, she celebrated with an SFI “I Voted by Mail” sticker!
#MilspouseVote Primary Edition
I have voted in six Presidential elections, and only two of those were in an actual voting booth. For the other four Presidential elections, and countless primary and special elections in between, I voted absentee. This primary season was no different. I vote in Ohio and mailed my ballot from Virginia.
Sarah is voting in person in Virginia on Super Tuesday, and it will mark the first time she’s voting together with her spouse. Last summer, Sarah voted in Virginia for the first time, just days after PCS-ing to her new home.
Share Your #MilspouseVote Photo and Story
We’ve shared just a few of our #MilspouseVote photos here – and will continue to share more on social media. Now we want to see yours! Join us in sharing images and stories using the hashtag #MilspouseVote. Whether you vote in person, mail in your ballot, or complete it online, we want to celebrate you and your vote.
- On Twitter, tag us @secure_families and use #MilspouseVote
- On Instagram post or story, tag us @secure_families and use #MilspouseVote
- On Facebook, tag our page @securefamilies (or post to our wall) and use #MilspouseVote
#MilspouseVote Facebook Frames
We are so into celebrating the #MilspouseVote that we created a variety of Facebook Frames so you can update your Facebook profile photo to celebrate casting your vote.
- To update your Facebook profile photo, go to your profile on the Facebook app and tap “Edit” on your profile picture. Then tap “Add Frame.”
- On desktop, go to https://www.facebook.com/profilepicframes
- Search “Secure Families Initiative” and pick your favorite!
