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Voting 2012
 

Citizens residing outside the U.S. who have not yet submitted a registration and ballot request (FPCA) for the 2011-2012 calendar year should do so as soon as possible in order to participate in upcoming general elections.

Below is the process for voting absentee: 

  • Complete an application form and send it to local election officials in the U.S.
  • The local official approves your request, or contacts you for further information.
  • The local official sends you an absentee ballot.
  • Complete the ballot and send it back in time to meet your state's deadline.
  • States are now required to offer electronic delivery of ballots, either via email or fax. Be sure to clearly mark your preferences in item 4c of the application form. If you select email and your state offers only electronic delivery via fax, local officials may default to delivery by mail.

 

The official US Government website for overseas absentee voting assistance is the Federal Voting Assistance Program website at http://www.fvap.gov/. It has a wealth of information about absentee voting, including the downloadable absentee ballot application, state-specific instructions for completing the form, links to state and local officials, and a downloadable emergency ballot.

Each state has different voting procedures. Information about your state's deadlines to register and vote and a calendar of election dates is available here.

States sometimes make last-minute changes. There may be late changes to your state's voting calendar, procedures or deadlines. When these occur, the Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) will issue a News Release.

Emergency ballots: If the ballot receipt deadline for the general election is approaching, and you have not yet received the blank ballot from local officials, you may download an emergency ballot, write in the names of the candidates and the offices for which they are running, and send it back in time to meet your state's ballot receipt deadline. The emergency ballot (SF-186, Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot, or FWAB) is available here. 

Questions?
Email:  hydacs@state.gov