Local absentee voting for the November 3 general election began on Labor Day, Monday at the Election Office.

Last Friday the Election Office released the list of certified candidates for the Congressional and House of Representatives race and ballot forms were printed and ready for local absentee voting to begin and off island ballot forms to be mailed out.

Seven voters cast ballots on Monday.

Those eligible to vote by local absentee are voters who will be traveling and won’t return in time to vote in person on November 3rd. Voters have to provide their airline ticket and voter registration ID. The Election Office said local absentee voting will continue until 4:30 pm on November 2.

The Election Office will be opened Saturdays from now on and designated holidays to allow for local absentee voting and to receive requests and send out off island absentee ballot forms, and provide voter registration services.

For voters residing off island, they can cast their ballots via outside absentee voting if they are:

• Active service members in the US military along without their spouses and dependents
• Employees of the US Government
• Employees of the American Samoa  Government
• Students attending an institution of higher learning
• Overseas voters participating in the election of the Delegate to the U House of Representatives

The form for outside absentee voting can be down loaded from the Election Office website aselectionoffice.gov