Absentee Voting
Absentee Voting Information for U.S. Citizens Abroad
New regulations for overseas voting went into effect in 2010. If you want to be able to vote while you are outside the United States, you should send a completed Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) to your local election officials every year. It's easy to do -- just go the Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) website and start the process. FVAP.gov is the official U.S. Government website for citizens seeking to cast their ballots overseas or in absentee.
We strongly recommend you get in the habit of submitting a new FPCA every January to ensure you receive ballots for all the elections in which you are eligible to vote during the calendar year. In addition to the November general elections held every other year, you may be eligible to vote in federal or state primary elections, special elections, emergency elections and runoff elections.
2012 Presidential Primary Elections
The first presidential primary elections take place in January 2012. Plan to submit a new Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) as early as possible in 2012 so your local election officials have time to send you an absentee ballot, and you have time to vote and return it.
For voting assistance at your nearest consulate, please book a notary appointment.
For more information, please consult this guide from Travel.State.Gov on Overseas Voting.