Voting Assistance
Overseas Voting
VOTING IS NOW EASIER THAN EVER BEFORE:
Now all U.S.
citizens can receive their blank ballots electronically. Depending on the state
in which you are eligible to vote, you may get your ballot by email, fax, or
internet download. To start, go to www.FVAP.gov to complete a new Federal Post Card
Application (FPCA), print and sign the form then return it to your local
election office in the United States. We recommend overseas U.S. citizens get in
the habit of completing FPCAs each January. You should include your email
address on the form so it's easier for your election officials to reach you if
there is a problem. If your state delivers ballots electronically by fax only,
be sure to include your fax number. If you request electronic delivery and
include your email address or fax number, you’ll receive your blank ballot 45
days before general and mid-term elections and generally 30 days before special,
primary, and run-off elections for federal offices. Most states now have voter
registration verification websites, and many offer a means of tracking the
status of your registration and ballot.
IMPORTANT NOTE: States are no
longer required to automatically send ballots to voters for an entire election
cycle so everyone who wants to vote in U.S. elections from overseas should send
in a new Federal Post Card Application in January of each year.
See below for additional information on:
- Absentee Voting Basics
- Registration/Absentee Ballot Request
- Receiving your Blank Absentee Ballot
- Voting and Returning Your Ballot
- Using an Emergency Write-In Ballot
- Voting Eligibility
- Role of Local Election Officials
- Verifying Your Registration
- Be an Educated Voter
- Voting and Taxes
Absentee Voting Basics
Absentee voting is a simple 2
step process.
1. Every year, you send in a completed Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) to your local election officials.
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- They confirm your eligibility to vote, and put your name on a list to receive absentee ballots for any elections held that calendar year.
- They send you a blank absentee ballot electronically or by mail.
2(a). You
complete the ballot and send it back so it arrives before your state's ballot
return deadline.
2(b). Or, if you haven't received your blank ballot 30 days
before an election, don't wait any longer; use the emergency Federal Write-in
Absentee Ballot to vote.
Registration/Absentee Ballot Request
To
vote from abroad, you have to register to vote with local election officials in
your state of legal (voting) residence, AND every year you have to request to receive absentee
ballots. You can use one form to do both - the Federal Post Card Application
(FPCA). Submit a new FPCA in January of each year, every time you move, change
your address, change your email, or change your name.
To complete and address the form, go to either the Federal Voting Assistance Program or the Overseas Vote Foundation website, where an on-line assistant walks you through the process. You can also pick up an FPCA and a copy of your state’s requirements from U.S. embassies and consulates around the world, or from many overseas U.S. citizen civic or political groups.
You can always return your FPCA by mail. In addition, most states allow you to send in your FPCA by fax or email. (See Voting and Returning Your Ballot below for options) Consult the online FVAP Voting Assistance Guide for your state’s current instructions. If you need help completing or submitting the form, contact the voting assistance officer at the closest U.S. embassy or consulate.
Receiving Your Blank Absentee
Ballot
Forty-five days before the November general elections, your
state will either send your blank ballot to you electronically, or mail it to
the address you provided on your FPCA.
Ballots are generally mailed out only 30 days before primary, special and run-off elections. Depending on your state and your status abroad, you may receive absentee ballots for all elections or abbreviated ballots for elections for federal offices only.
Voting and Returning
Your Ballot
Complete your ballot carefully and legibly, and return it
to your local election officials before your state’s ballot receipt deadline.
Send it back as early as possible.
Overseas voters have a number of options for returning voted ballots:
- Local mail: If you have good mail service to the United States, put your ballot in the mail with appropriate international postage.
- U.S. Embassy Pouch/APO/FPO: You can drop off your ballot request or voted ballot at the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate for return to the United States, or you can have someone drop it off for you, It must be addressed to your local election officials and have sufficient postage or be in a postage-paid envelope. A postage-paid envelope is available on the FVAP web site. Contact the voting assistance officer or visit the Embassy website for specific instructions.
- Fax, Email, or Internet: A number of states now allow the electronic return of voted ballots. Consult the Federal Voting Assistance Program’s Voting Assistance Guide for electronic transmission options for your state.
- Express Courier Service: If time is short or local mail is unreliable, you can use professional courier services such as FedEx, DHL, or UPS. NOTE: FedEx does not deliver to P.O. boxes.
Using an Emergency Write-in
Ballot
Don’t be a passive voter and wait for a ballot that may not
reach you in time. If you followed all the right steps but still haven’t
received your ballot 30 days before the election, you should complete and submit
a Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot (FWAB). Contact the Voting Assistance Officer
at the nearest U.S. embassy or
consulatefor help, or visit FVAP.gov to complete the FWAB using their online wizard.Write in the candidates of
your choice, and send it to your local election
official. If your regular absentee ballot arrives later, fill it out and
send it back too. Your FWAB will be counted only if your regular ballot doesn’t
reach your local election officials by your state’s deadline. Following this
procedure will not invalidate your vote or result in two votes being cast.
Voting
Eligibility
Almost all U.S. citizens 18 years or older who reside
outside the United States are eligible to vote absentee for candidates for
federal offices in U.S. primary and general elections. In addition, some states
allow overseas citizens to vote for candidates for state and local offices, as
well as for state and local referendums. For information regarding your specific
state, visit the Federal Voting
Assistance Program’s Voting Assistance Guide or the Overseas Vote Foundation
website. The Overseas Vote Foundation is a non-partisan voter advocacy
organization.
For voting purposes, your state of legal residence is generally the state wherein you resided immediately before leaving the United States, even if you no longer own or rent property or intend to return there in the future. Twenty-one states and the District of Columbia specifically allow U.S. citizens who have never resided in the United States to register where a parent would be eligible to vote. Direct your questions about eligibility to your local election officials.
Role of Local Election Officials
All elections in the
United States are run at the state and local level. If local election officials
have questions about your form, they’ll contact you. It’s smart to send in your
form early (ideally, at the beginning of the calendar year, or at least
forty-five days before the election) to provide time to process your request and
resolve any problems. Once approved, your name will be put on a list of voters
to receive absentee ballots.
Verifying Your Registration
States are now required
to have websites where you can verify your registration. If you are unsure of
your voter registration status, or want to confirm that local officials have
received and approved your registration, check the FVAP website for a directory of state voter
registration verification websites. You can also call or write your local election
officials directly.
Be an Educated
Voter
Check out the FVAP links page for helpful
resources that will aid your research of candidates and issues you care about.
Voting and
Taxes
Voting for candidates for federal offices does not
affect your federal or state tax liability. Voting for candidates for
state or local offices could affect your state tax liability. Consult
legal counsel if you have questions.
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