NEW YORK IS HOLDING ITS CRUCIAL MIDTERM ELECTIONS – MAKE SURE YOUR VOICE IS HEARD!

Important: You must send your ballot in by mail! Send it today. 

Need help on how to fold the New York ballot? Watch this video here. 

Not sure if your ballot will make it back on time? Call or email your local election office in the United States to check out the best address to use, and then check out courier solutions. Some couriers have provided discounts for some countries for mail return to the U.S. 

Click here and scroll down to "Find Your Election Office" to find your point of contact in New York. 

After you send in your ballot, make sure your vote is counted!

You can check your ballot status online using: https://nysballot.elections.ny.gov/TrackMyBallot/Search

You may need to use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to connect to this website from outside the US. For more information about how to use a VPN, please click here.

Special Notice for Suffolk County Voters:

GOOD NEWS! The Suffolk County election office email system is back up as of October 4!

If you haven't received a ballot yet, you must submit a ballot request form right away--and you can do so by email! Please go to www.votefromabroad.org, fill out the form, and submit it by email. Ballots are available now, so you should receive it in a few days. Be sure to check your spam folder!

What elections are there in New York? What am I voting for?

Voting has never been more important and your vote is crucial! 

New York will hold its Midterm elections for US Representatives and US Senate as well as state-wide offices for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, and your State Representatives and State Senators. 

All New York overseas voters can vote in these important elections!

All overseas voters can vote for their US Representative and US Senator AND you may also be able to vote for Governor, Lt Governor, Attorney General, and your representatives to the New York state legislature. It depends on the category you choose when you request your ballot:

• If you "intend to return": You are eligible to vote in New York state elections.
  *You don't have to have a set date of return and it doesn't have to be within a set time frame, but you do need to have an intention to return at some time in the future.
  
  
• If your “return is uncertain”or if you’ve “never resided” in New York: You won’t be eligible to vote in New York state elections, but you can vote in the federal elections for the US House and US Senate.
  
  *Please note: Registering to vote and voting doesn’t change your tax status.
  But selecting “intend to return” rather than “my return is uncertain” may be one of several factors New York uses to determine whether you may be subject to state income tax. Before you note that you “intend to return” on your FPCA form, you may consider seeking advice on these matters from a tax professional.

Please vote for all the races on your ballot –  New York state elections are hugely important! State governments are responsible for voting and state policies on abortion and reproductive rights, climate change, education, and so many other issues that affect us no matter where we are in the world. 

Not sure who to vote for?

1) Register to Vote and Request Your Ballot Today

It's easy to request your ballot – and your ballot request covers all elections in 2022, including any possible Runoffs or Special Elections.

Go to www.votefromabroad.org and follow the prompts to fill out the form to request your ballot, the Federal Post Card Application form (FPCA). (If needed, it will also serve as a voter registration.) To ensure you receive your ballot in time, please check the box on the FPCA to have your blank ballot sent to you by “Email/Online” or “Fax”.

You can send in your FPCA to your local election office in New York by email (recommended) or fax or mail. 

*TIP: We recommend you send it in by email to meet the deadline for your FPCA to get to New York, but you must also send in a signed copy by mail and it must be received in New York by November 21. (You may place the signed FPCA in the outer envelope when you mail back your voted ballot.)

• If you are registered to vote, you MUST still send in an FPCA to request your ballot in 2022. Your FPCA must be received by November 1, 2022.
  
  
• If you are NOT registered to vote, your FPCA must be received by October 19, 2022.
  
  *If you are registering to vote and you send in your FPCA by mail, then it must be postmarked no later than October 14 and received by October 19.

You can check your voter registration status online using: https://voterlookup.elections.ny.gov
You may need to use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to connect to this website from outside the US. For more information about how to use a VPN, please click here.

2) When You Get Your Ballot, Fill It Out and Mail It Back Right Away 

Ballots started going out on September 24, 2022. If you asked for your ballot by email, be sure to check your spam folder and any secondary inboxes.

When you get your ballot, fill it out and mail it back right away. You must return your ballot by mail. 

Special: If you sent in your ballot request form (FPCA) by email, then you must also send in a signed copy of the ballot request form by mail. You may place the signed FPCA in the outer envelope when you mail back your voted ballot.

Your ballot must be postmarked no later than November 8 AND it also must be received in New York by November 21. 

For ideas on how to mail your ballot back by the deadline, please click here

And to contact DA volunteers in the country you're living in now for specific ideas for mailing back your ballot, please click here to go to the DA page for your country.

3) Send in a Backup Ballot Now 

You don’t need to wait until ballots come out in late September! If you have any concerns that your ballot won’t make it back in time to meet the deadline, you can send in a Backup Ballot NOW. 

The Backup Ballot (the Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot, or FWAB) is only for overseas voters and protects your right to vote in case your official ballot doesn't arrive in time. For detailed information how to use the Backup Ballot, please click here

Special: If you sent in your ballot request form (FPCA) by email, then you must also send in a signed copy of the ballot request form by mail. You may place the signed FPCA in the outer envelope when you mail back your voted Backup Ballot.

Suffolk County Voters: We recommend you mail in your signed ballot request form (FPCA) with your Backup Ballot.

All voters: When you use the Backup Ballot for a federal election, the website will indicate the candidates for US Senate, and the candidates for US House in your Congressional District.

And if you’re a member of the military or a military family member, you can also use the Backup Ballot for state elections, but you will need to add those to the “Write In Candidates” section. You can use this website to find the candidates in your jurisdiction: https://ballotpedia.org/Sample_Ballot_Lookup

In the "Write in Candidates" block, type in the name of the office. Then type in either the candidate’s name or “Democrat.” 

4) Confirm That Your Ballot Was Accepted and Counted

After you send in your ballot, make sure your vote is counted!

You can check your ballot status online using: https://nysballot.elections.ny.gov/TrackMyBallot/Search

You may need to use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to connect to this website from outside the US. For more information about how to use a VPN, please click here.

Or, you can email or call your local election office directly. You can find the contact information at: www.votefromabroad.org/states/NY; scroll down to "Find Your Election Office"

And if there is a problem with your ballot, you may be able to fix it – but the earlier you send it in, the more time you’ll have. 

NEED HELP? EMAIL US AT [email protected]