Message for U.S. Citizens: Completing and Returning Absentee Ballots

U.S. Consulate General Hong Kong and Macau
11 October 2012

Absentee ballots already delivered to overseas voters. Every U.S. citizen who requested an absentee ballot and selected the fax or email delivery option should have it by now. Please vote and take steps to return your voted ballot promptly so your vote will count. See instructions below.

Returning your ballot by mail. Your voted ballot may be mailed via international mail via the Hong Kong or Macau postal services or sent via the Consulate’s Diplomatic Post Office (DPO). To use the DPO, place your voted ballot in a U.S. postage-paid envelope containing the address of your local election officials. Drop it off at the Consulate during normal business hours, and we’ll send it back home for you without the need to pay international postage.  Please note that ballots dropped off at the Consulate after noon on 29 October will not arrive by election day. If you can’t visit the Consulate in person, ask a friend or colleague drop it off for you. If it’s easier for you to use Hong Kong or Macau's postal system, be sure to affix sufficient international postage, and allow sufficient time for international mail delivery. If time is tight, you may want to use a private courier service (e.g., FedEx, UPS, or DHL) to meet your state's ballot receipt deadline.

Returning your ballot by email, fax, or upload. Some states allow these options, but may also require you to still mail in the signed paper ballot. Learn more at the Federal Voting Assistance Program's website.

Haven’t received your ballot yet? Use the emergency write-in ballot. U.S. citizens who requested an absentee ballot but haven’t received it should go to the Federal Voting Assistance Program's website to complete a Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot. Follow the above guidance for returning your ballot. If you later receive your regular absentee ballot, vote and return it immediately. Local election officials will count just one ballot per voter, and will use the regular ballot if received by your state’s ballot receipt deadline.

Forgot to register or request an absentee ballot? Act immediately! There are three options.

Option #1: Register and request a ballot today using the federal post card application at the Federal Voting Assistance Program's website. Select the electronic ballot delivery option, include your email address (and fax number) and send it to local election officials in your state. Almost every state lets you submit it by email or fax. Once your application is processed they will send you your ballot via fax or email depending on your state. Vote as soon as you receive the blank ballot. Registration deadlines vary and some are as early as October 7, so check your state’s requirements carefully.

Option #2: Follow the instructions in Option #1, but also complete and send in a Federal Write-in Ballot at the same time to make sure your vote is counted. This option may be the best one for first-time voters if your state requires you to submit your Federal Post Card Application by mail. Vote and submit your regular absentee ballot if/when it arrives. Local election officials will count just one ballot per voter, and will use the regular ballot if it's received by the ballot receipt deadline.

Option #3: Voters from the following states can use the Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot as a combined voter registration form, absentee ballot request, and absentee ballot: Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, District of Columbia, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia, and Washington. (NOTE: This form must reach your local election officials by your state's absentee ballot request deadline or voter registration deadline, whichever is first.)

Returning your Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot by mail. Follow the guidance above for returning your ballot by mail.

Returning your Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot by email or fax. The following states allow voters to email or fax their signed, voted Federal Write-in Absentee Ballots back to local election officials: Arizona, California (fax only), Colorado, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Indiana, Kansas, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Utah, Washington, and West Virginia. (NOTE: see instructions at the Federal Voting Assistance Program's website for faxing or emailing your voted ballot.)

Need help? You can get in-person assistance from our Consulate Voting Assistance Officers at the Consulate’s Election Event on 24 October, between 2:00 and 5:00 pm.

Have Questions? Please contact Hong Kong and Macau's Voting Assistance Officer at +852 2841 2211, or atacshk@state.gov.

Confirm your registration and ballot delivery online. Learn more at the Federal Voting Assistance Program's (FVAP) website.

END U.S. CITIZEN MESSAGE

Last modified: October 11, 2012