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ATTENTION INVITED TO  

ROUTINE

R 042041Z MAY 12 PSN 811208K20

FM CNO WASHINGTON DC

TO NAVADMIN
ZEN//OU=DOD/OU=NAVY/OU=ADDRESS LISTS(UC)/CN=AL NAVADMIN(UC)

INFO ZEN/CNO WASHINGTON DC

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SUBJ: COMMAND LEVEL VOTING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM EMPHASIS UNCLASSIFIED/ PASS TO 
OFFICE CODES:
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//DNS//
TO NAVADMIN
INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC
UNCLAS//
NAVADMIN 153/12

MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/DNS/MAY//

SUBJ/COMMAND LEVEL VOTING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM EMPHASIS//

REF/A/MSG/CNO WASHINGTON DC/071339Z NOV 11//
REF/B/DOC/CNO/15MAY2007//

NARR/REF A IS NAVADMIN 335/11, COMMAND VOTING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. REF B IS 
OPNAVINST 1742.1B, NAVY VOTING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (NVAP).// POC/BOUSKY, 
ANDREW/LT/CNIC/-/TEL: (202) 433-4000/TEL: DSN 288-4000/
EMAIL: andrew.bousky@navy.mil//

RMKS/1.  WITH THE 2012 NOVEMBER GENERAL ELECTION JUST A FEW MONTHS AWAY, ALL 
COMMANDS MUST ENCOURAGE THEIR SAILORS TO REGISTER TO VOTE AND ENSURE THEY HAVE 
A ROBUST VOTING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM IN PLACE.
REF A RESULTED IN 400 NEW COMMAND REGISTRATIONS IN THE VOTING INFORMATION 
MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (VIMS); HOWEVER, OVER 600 COMMANDS HAVE YET TO TAKE ACTION.  
NOW IS THE TIME TO REENGAGE.

2.  IAW REF B, ALL NAVY COMMANDS WITH 25 OR MORE PERMANENTLY ASSIGNED 
PERSONNEL MUST HAVE A VOTING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
    A.  THE COMMAND LEVEL VOTING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AND VOTING ASSISTANCE 
OFFICER (VAO) ARE CRITICAL TO INCREASING AWARENESS AND ENSURING OUR SAILORS 
CAN SUCCESSFULLY EXERCISE THEIR RIGHT TO VOTE.
    B.  ALL VOTING ASSISTANCE OFFICERS ARE DIRECTED TO LOG INTO VIMS AND 
VALIDATE CONTACT INFORMATION AT:  HTTPS://QOL.NAVYAIMS.NET/VOTING .
    C.  PARENT COMMANDS ARE DIRECTED TO VERIFY SUBORDINATE COMMANDS CONTACT 
INFORMATION TO ENSURE MAXIMUM PARTICIPATION.  A COMPLETE LIST OF 
SUBORDINATE/REPORTING COMMANDS IS DISPLAYED AT THE BOTTOM OF THE VIMS USER 
ACCOUNT PAGE.
    D.  THE NAVY'S COMPREHENSIVE RESOURCE FOR VAOS, THE 2012 NAVY VOTING 
ACTION PLAN, CAN BE FOUND AT:
HTTP://WWW.FVAP.GOV/RESOURCES/MEDIA/NAVYVOTINGACTIONPLAN.PDF (LOWERCASE).

3.  THE RIGHT TO VOTE IS ONE OF THE FUNDAMENTAL FREEDOMS THAT WE DEFEND.
CURRENT EVENTS AND ELECTIONS ACROSS THE WORLD SHOULD REMIND US ALL THAT THIS 
RIGHT - THOUGH FIRMLY ESTABLISHED IN THE UNITED STATES - IS NOT UNIVERSALLY 
AVAILABLE IN MANY COUNTRIES.

4.  COMMANDS THAT HAVE NOT YET ESTABLISHED THEIR VOTING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AND 
REGISTERED IN VIMS ARE DIRECTED TO DO SO.

5.  RELEASED BY VICE ADMIRAL J. M. BIRD, DIRECTOR, NAVY STAFF.//

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