Calling zebra, JJ and other ex-pat Americans

[JanH]

DD1 just got her absentee ballot paper! We are all so excited (how sad is that?)

Anyway hers, in Nassau County NY, has Pres, Senate and Congress (District 5); we are confused by the fact that lots of candidates appear more than once - eg for Congress, Gary Ackerman is listed as Democratic, Independence and Working Families (and for the Senate, Charles E Schumer is the same).

What diff does it make where you put your check mark?

TIA!

You got me, JanH. Maybe SofiaAmes or JJ (she's very political) will be more clued up. All I can think is that in Pennsylvania, just like in UK, maybe several parties can all agree to support the same candidate. Could be a tactical move to get the most suport behind a non-Republican candidate.

thanks anyway, zebra!

bump - I know colinsmommy is here (missed you before!)

Sorry, I was reading other threads and got disgusted and had to leave. I had never heard of that before, so I googled NY election laws and found that they are one of only a handful of states where fusion laws (candidates running for office under more than 1 party) is legal. It said that minor political parties do that in order to influence the way major ones think, and that in order to put a candidate out for governor that is actually printed on the ballot, a party must recieve 50,000 votes, so that would be another way to get them. I think (my opinion from what i've read only) that it doesn't really matter what party she votes for, the vote will go toward the person. But as a candidate, whoever is under multiple party nomination is really a democrat or republican by party. I hope that makes sense. I feel like I learned a lot today.

Thank you colinsmommy

Having studied the form more closely, what is extra interesting is that for the Senate, the Republican and Conservative candidates are different people; but for Pres and Congress, they are the same!!!

We also have, for Senate: Builders, Socialist Workers, Libertarian and Green; for Congress: Fair Immigration; and for Pres : Peace and Justice (Nader & Camejo), Socialist Workers (Calero & Hawkins) and Libertarian (Badnarik & Campagna).

Too much choice!

I think the first 3 paragraphs of this document might help explain.

I meant explain it better than I did.

Extraordinary, janh. . I, too, just received my absentee ballot from Nassau County, NY today. Dh had a look and had the SAME QUESTION YOU HAD. I answered it pretty much as collinsmummy had.

But really, all your dd needs to know is that she has to vote for Kerry.

Well, yes, we were thinking along those lines too epk! But WHICH Kerry? The Democrat or the Working Families????

ROFL. At this point, I'm glad to be from Oregon and not New York.

It'll go to him, no matter what. I'll be checking the "democrat" Kerry just to be as straightforward as possible about it, but it doesn't matter.

You must be proud of your daughter, janh: politically attuned and civic-minded enough to want to vote, even from this distance. How is it that she's able to vote? Was she born in the US?

well, the fun of voting in california is that they have 12 zillion extra initiatives on the ballot that you have to get informed about... I just haven't had time..it's so hard to keep informed when I'm not there. And I can't ask any of my californian friends for advice as they are all bleeding heart liberals.

She was born at North Shore University Hospital, Manhasset, epk - April 1 1982. (It snowed about a foot the day before we brought her home!) She is very proud of her American citizenship (and we are very proud of her).

dh's ohio ballot paper is the same you have cleared up that little problem for him as well.

janh, you are probably aware of this, but since your dd is a us citizen, she is required to file taxes there as soon as she starts making money. Please make sure she remembers to do this and it can really get you in trouble later. If she doesn't make any money or makes under a certain amount (i don't remember how much), then she does't have to file. She also has to have a salary of more than something like $80,000 in the uk before having to actually pay income tax on it. But she still has to file. Check on the irs website for the exact information.