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U.S. Embassy, Ljubljana: Bi-Weekly Consular Message to U.S. Citizens
By
12 MINUTE READ
January 20, 2022

Dear American Citizen in Slovenia:

Here is your bi-weekly Consular Message, including:

  • COVID update: New guidelines / exponential growth in cases
  • Driving/Bicycling while using electronics:  Increased enforcement
  • Voting in U.S. Elections: Many state primaries are coming up; January is a good time to once again register as an overseas voter for 2022.

COVID Update

Slovenian government regulation updates

  • Quarantine rules for students:  Education classes now will quarantine only if 30% of students in the past 14 days have tested positive.  Otherwise, students who have been in contact with a positive case can still attend school, but will just need to do home tests daily. (Vaccinated students are exempt from daily testing.)
  • Testing kits for students: Students can receive 20 free rapid tests per month from the pharmacy.
  • Quarantine rules for non-students:  If you have received a booster shot, or are fully vaccinated and recovered from COVID, and are in contact with a known positive case, you are no longer required to quarantine.  For all others, quarantine is required, but shortened to seven days.
  • Entry to government institutions, stores, etc.: Those under age 12 are exempt from the vaccinated/tested/recovered (“PCT”) rule.
  • PCR test: Due to very high demand, PCR tests are now being limited to those with a positive rapid test who are advised by their doctor to get a PCR test.

Slovenia COVID-19 Statistics (as of 20 January 2022):

  • In the past month, the number of active cases has grown exponentially, with over 90,700 active cases – more than twice the previous pandemic high in Slovenia in November 2021. More than 60% of PCR tests are coming back positive.  The 14-day incidence rate per 100,000 persons increased from 1,222 two weeks ago to 4,302 today.
  • Fortunately, the number hospitalized and those in ICU has remained steady over the past month, with 580 hospitalized and 147 in ICU.  Sadly, though, an additional 98 people died of COVID in the past two weeks.
  • Slovenia’s vaccination rate inched up, with 57% of the population being fully vaccinated, though still well below European averages.

For additional information, see our Embassy’s Covid-19 page.

Driving/Bicycling while using Electronics

  • Police are stepping up enforcement of laws regarding using electronics while driving/bicycling.  If you are holding a cell phone or other electronic device – or wearing headphones – while driving a vehicle or riding a bicycle, the police may stop you and issue you a ticket/fine on the spot.

Voting in U.S. Elections – upcoming state primaries

  • Texas State primary  (1 March)
  • Ohio and Indiana State primaries  (3 May)
  • West Virginia and Nebraska state primaries  (10 May)
  • North Carolina, Idaho, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Kentucky state primaries  (17 May)
  • Texas Runoff; Arkansas, Georgia, and Alabama state primaries  (24 May)

Registering to Vote and submitting a ballot is fast, easy, and can be done from anywhere in the world!

Start by confirming your voter registration with your state.  Some states require absentee voters to register annually so you may need to re-register.  Go to FVAP.gov to connect to your state’s voter portal to register to vote, request a ballot, and more.  Once you confirm your registration, follow a few simple steps to vote in the 2022 U.S. elections:

 

  1.  Request Your Ballot: Most states provide the option to request ballots through their state election portals, which you can easily access via FVAP.gov. You can also choose to complete a Federal Post Card Application (FPCA). The completion of the FPCA allows you to request absentee ballots for all elections for federal offices (President, U.S. Senate, and U.S. House of Representatives) including primaries and special elections during the calendar year in which it is submitted.  FPCA forms that are correctly filled out and include a signature and date are accepted by all local election officials in every U.S. state and territory.  FVAP’s easy online assistant can assist you with completing the FPCA.Whether you request your ballot through your state’s portal or the FPCA, we encourage you to select the option for receiving your ballot electronically (by email, internet download, or fax) when available.  This is the fastest way for you to get your ballot and ensures you have it in time to return a completed form before your state’s deadline.
  2.  Receive and Complete Your Ballot:  States are required to send out ballots 45 days before a regular election for federal office and states generally send out ballots at least 30 days before primary elections.  Most states allow you to confirm your ballot delivery online.
  3.  Return Your Completed, Signed Ballot:  Some states allow you to return your completed ballot electronically and others do not.  If your state requires you to return paper voting forms or ballots to local election officials by mail, you can do so through international mail, professional courier service, or through the U.S. Embassy in Ljubljana’s diplomatic pouch.  The diplomatic pouch provides free mail service from embassies and consulates to a U.S. sorting facility.  You will need to place your ballots in postage paid return envelopes or in envelopes bearing sufficient U.S. postage, in order for them to be delivered to the proper local election authorities.If using the diplomatic pouch, ballots can be dropped off to the Embassy Consular Section.  Please put your entire voting envelope inside a larger envelope with “Consular Section” written on it and leave it at the Embassy gatehouse.  We will open the outer envelope and drop your envelope in the pouch mail for you.  (If you would like us to confirm receipt, please email us at LjubljanaACS@state.gov.)   Please note that it can take up to three weeks for mail to reach its destination if sent by an embassy via diplomatic pouch.  All overseas U.S. citizens are advised to submit their forms and ballots accordingly.

Researching the Candidates and Issues:  Online Resources.  Go to the FVAP links page for helpful resources to aid your research of candidates and issues. Non-partisan information about candidates, their voting records, and their positions on issues are widely available and easy to obtain on-line. You can also read national and hometown newspapers on-line, or search the internet to locate articles and information. For information about election dates and deadlines, subscribe to FVAP’s Voting Alerts (vote@fvap.gov). FVAP also shares Voting Alerts via Facebook (@DODFVAP), Twitter (@FVAP), and Instagram (@fvapgov).

Learn more at the Federal Voting Assistance Program’s (FVAP) website, FVAP.gov.  If you have any questions about registering to vote overseas, please contact the U.S. Embassy in Ljubljana via email.

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