2.22.24 – Make Your Vote Count! – Duplicate Ballot Deadline & FAQ’s

Make Your Vote Count! – Duplicate Ballot Deadline & FAQ’s

Thursday, February 22, 2024

Ballots for the 2024 APFA National Officer Runoff Elections were mailed on Monday, February 5, 2024, to all APFA members.

Act Now! If you have not received your original ballot, and you have not already requested a Duplicate Ballot package, now is the time! To ensure you have enough time to receive a Duplicate Ballot and return it in time, you should request one as soon as possible! Depending on your mailing location, it can take up to 3-7 days to be delivered. You can request a duplicate ballot directly through the YesElections Support Desk by phone at (866) 384-9978 or by e-mail at [email protected] or click below:
The last day to request a duplicate ballot package is Wednesday, February 28, 2024, at 12:00 pm (CT). All ballots must be received to the designated P.O. Box by Wednesday, March 6, 2024, at 10:00 am (CT). When requesting a duplicate ballot package with YesElections, please verify your correct mailing address.

Click here to view the electronic Candidate Booklets

Click here to view the Candidate Debate Videos

Voter FAQ’s

Q: I requested a Duplicate Ballot, and it’s been a few days. Should I request another one?

A: YesElections will ensure that your Duplicate Ballot request is sent out as soon as possible from their print vendor. As a reminder, we’re at the mercy of the USPS mail delivery system. Please allow up to 3-7 days to receive your Duplicate Ballot before requesting another one.

Q: I requested a Duplicate Ballot, and my original one showed up. Can I still use the original ballot?

A: Absolutely! You can use either. However, if both an original and duplicate ballot are received, only the duplicate will be counted. per the APFA Policy Manual, Section 14.N.2.a.

Q: I just realized I forgot to update my new address with APFA, I think my ballot went to my old address, what do I do?

A: First, you should reach out to the YesElections Help Desk (info above) and request a Duplicate Ballot immediately and provide them with your new and/or desired mailing address. Secondly, you should log into your APFA.org account online and update your address under ‘My Account.’

Q: I accidentally forgot to put my Secret Ballot Envelope in the outer envelope, and I had to re-open the outer envelope to put it back in there and tape the outer envelope closed. Will my ballot still count?

A: Yes, as long as we can verify your eligibility on the outer envelope, your ballot will be counted. Also, in rare cases, inclement weather and mailbox conditions can affect the stickiness of the envelope seals, and it’s permissible to tape closed if you feel it could be an issue, or you can request a duplicate ballot package. NOTE: If you do not want to wait for a Duplicate Ballot package due to an envelope issue, it is permissible to use your own return envelope as long as your name, emp#, and/or return address are on the outer envelope so that we can verify your eligibility before the ballot moves onto the next steps at the ballot count. Please reach out to us if you have any further questions about this.

Q: I misplaced my Secret Ballot Envelope. Do I have to use one, or can I use my own, or should I request a Duplicate Ballot?

A: Per the AFPA Policy Manual, Section 14.N.3.a, you are not required to use a Secret Ballot Envelope, there are procedures in place to protect the secrecy of your ballot/vote if one is not used. You can also use your own envelope in place of the provided Secret Ballot Envelope in the Ballot Package, as long as there is no identifying information on it. You can also request a Duplicate Ballot. Please reach out to us if you have any further questions about this.

Q: I heard that ballots were taking around 10 days to be delivered. Is this true?

A: Those are very rare cases. A majority of the 26,000+ ballot packages mailed out, were delivered within the first seven (7) days. It’s important to note, that we’re at the mercy of the USPS delivery once the ballot packages leave the print facility in the NY area. A variety of factors with the USPS can impact delivery speeds, which is well outside the NBC, or our vendors control.

Voter Eligibility

To be eligible to vote, you must be an active member in good standing. A member is considered in good standing so long as they have met their dues obligation, with no dues in arrears for more than sixty (60) days. For your vote to count, you must be an active member in good standing by Friday, March 1, 2024, at 5:00 pm (CT). (APFA Constitution Article II, Section 4.A-C – Article VI, Section 4.B & 4.D)

In your ballot package, on the Notice/Voting Instructions page, at the top we included information about your voter eligibility and any balance owed. If you have an amount showing in ($), that is a credit/positive amount on your account, not an amount owed, your status will also show as ‘eligible’. We strongly suggest you check your eligibility and dues balance on APFA.orgbefore 5:00 pm (CT) on Friday, March 1, 2024, as eligibility is subject to change.

You can check your membership status and manage payments through the “My Account” section of APFA.org. For dues-related assistance, contact the APFA Dues Department via e-mail [email protected] or call/text (817) 540-0108, option 3.

In Solidarity,

Adam Brooks
APFA National Ballot Committee Chair
[email protected]