Last Page Update: Oct 7, 2024

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U.S. citizens have the right to vote in primary and general elections, no matter where in the world they live! If you're a U.S. citizen, dual-national, and will be 18 on November 5, 2024, you have the right to vote from abroad in US elections — including in the November 2024 elections! As a U.S. citizen, you can register to vote from abroad while living, working, or traveling overseas by submitting one form — the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA). It doesn't matter if you were registered to vote before you left the U.S., how long you’ve lived outside the U.S., or if you've never resided in the U.S. at all. You have the right to vote!

If you have any voting questions or concerns, including postal mailing your ballot, please email info-sweden@democratsabroad.org right away.

📌 Please note that there is NO IN-PERSON VOTING in Sweden for U.S. General elections! 📌

This is a Presidential election year — all 435 seats in the House of Representatives, 34 of the 100 Senate seats, and 13 gubernatorial seats are up for grabs in November. The U.S. State Department recommends, “all U.S. citizens living abroad complete and submit a new Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) annually, to ensure you remain on your state’s voter rolls and to ensure your local election office has your up-to-date contact information.” Vote From Abroad provides all the information, forms, and support help in one place to make voting easy!

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1. Registering to vote and requesting your ballot

The first step is to request your ballot, and if need be, register to vote from abroad. You should do this every election year to ensure you remain on your state’s overseas voter rolls and to ensure your local election office has your up-to-date contact information. It’s important to register as an absentee voter from abroad because the ballots of US citizens voting from abroad have special protections and are different from the standard absentee ballot. 

Go to www.VoteFromAbroad.org to fill out your Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) absentee ballot request — it takes 5-10 minutes! If you're not registered to vote, the FPCA also serves as a voter registration form. Choose the option to receive ballots by email.

The second step is to submit the FPCA absentee ballot request form to your local election office in the United States. Most states allow you to submit your FPCA directly from www.VoteFromAbroad.org without the need to print it out. But some states require that you submit your completed form by email attachment, fax, or postal mail. State deadlines and submission methods can be found here.

If you have any questions while filling out your request form, go to the Vote from Abroad FAQ Section or type your question in the website's chat box (red circle in the bottom right-hand corner of each screen). Or you can email us at [email protected] 

2. Confirming your request has been accepted  ✅

After submitting your FPCA absentee ballot request form, call or email your Local Election Official (LEO) to confirm they have received it and will be sending your ballot. Your LEO's contact information is listed in the instructions generated when you fill out your FPCA form at Vote from Abroad. You can also look up their contact info here. 

Most states provide a website where you can verify your voter status. To find your state's website, click here and scroll down to “Where Is My Ballot?"

3. Receiving your ballot 📬

Your overseas absentee ballot is not your standard absentee ballot back home! Thanks to the MOVE Act, all states must send FPCA-requested absentee ballots to overseas voters no later than 45 days before a federal election — this year that’s September 21, 2024. 

And, if requested, all states must send overseas voters their ballot by email.

You don't need to wait for ballots to arrive on September 21. If you're worried your ballot won't arrive in time for you to return it by the deadline, send in a Backup Ballot NOW. The Backup Ballot (Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot or FWAB) is specifically for overseas voters who are concerned they won't receive their official ballot in time to return it by the deadline. All details about the Backup Ballot can be found here.

4. Your ballot hasn’t arrived? 📭

Check your spam folder. Still no ballot? Contact your local election official here and confirm they’ve sent your ballot to you. Go to www.VoteFromAbroad.org if you need to send in a new FPCA absentee ballot request form.

If you haven’t received your ballot by October 1 and your state requires postal mail return, we recommend you send in a Backup Ballot to make sure your vote gets to your state in time. All details about the Backup Ballot can be found here.

5. Voting your ballot 🗳️

It’s easy to get informed about candidates, ballot initiatives, and judicial candidates and important to vote your ballot completely. State and local races are critical! 

The simplest way is to vote for Democrats straight down the ballot. Some elected positions do not list a party affiliation, like school boards, judges, and others. To determine who to vote for in those cases, you can do the following: 

• Google your county's local Democratic Party
• Go to the Blue Voter Guide
• Go to the League of Women Voters personalized ballot service
• Go to Ballotpedia - Choose your state
• Google the candidate's name to find their campaign website

6. There are lots of ways to return your ballot! 

📌 Remember! Only use a mail service if you cannot return your ballot electronically

Ballot return methods – by email, online, postal mail, fax – vary by state. Always return your ballot as quickly as possible, but especially if your state only allows postal mail return. Always read the instructions that came with your ballot carefully! Find your state's ballot return methods here.

If your state allows email, online upload or fax  for ballot return, please use these options as they’re not subject to loss or delay! Here is more information on fax submission.

• • Need help scanning your ballot?

    • Watch this video on how to scan using your smartphone.

    • If you don't have a scanning app on your phone, you can use Adobe Scan mobile app for iPhone & Android

  • New Jersey Voters: Please note that New Jersey allows for email or fax returns, but requires that the ballot ALSO be sent by postal mail.
    
    
  • New York Voters: Here are instructions on How to fold the New York State General Election ballot.

If your state requires postal mail return, see info below on options from Sweden.

🠊 International Postal Service:  

If your state requires postal mail ballot return, one option is to take your ballot to a post office and use international mail from PostNord. Please remember — mail service can be slow, write your return address on the back of your envelope, and send your ballot as soon as possible! If you have any voting questions or concerns, including problems postal mailing your ballot with PostNord, please contact us right away at: info-sweden@democratsabroad.org . 

We do not recommend spending the extra money for a tracking number when sending the envelope since this can potentially slow down transit – it’s better to confirm receipt by looking on your state’s website, or looking up your local election officer's contact details here (scroll down to "Find Your Election Office"). Do not send it with a signature required as Local Elections Officers will not sign for it. 

Ask for a postmark or date stamp to be placed on the outer envelope. Some states require this, and it is a good practice in general. Always follow the instructions that came with your ballot carefully! Find out your state’s requirements here. 

🠊 Courier Service:

If your state requires postal mail ballot return, the quickest option is to use a courier service like DHL, Federal Express, etc.

Even with expedited courier services though, ballots still take several days to get to the United States. Please send your ballot as soon as possible! Do not wait! You should – and some states require you – ask for a postmark or date stamp to be placed on the outer envelope. Follow the instructions that came with your ballot. We do not recommend booking or paying online with any courier service. You will not receive a postmark if you book or pay online.

Courier services cannot send to a P.O. Box! Be sure to confirm a street address with your local election official if a P.O. Box is the return address on your ballot. 

🠊 The U.S. Embassy/Consulate diplomatic pouch:

📌 For 2024 we no longer recommend using the diplomatic pouch at the Embassy for Nov. 5th ballot return due to prolonged transit time.

The U.S. Embassy in Sweden advised that transit time to the United States can take up to 20 days. The date has now PASSED (October 4) for which they advised ballots sent by the diplomatic post be dropped off (their voting website post HERE). Using this option going forward risks your ballot not arriving in time. If you do use the diplomatic pouch, you will need to place your ballot in a U.S. postage paid return envelope (usually provided with your ballot) or in an envelope bearing sufficient U.S. postage. You can download a free U.S. postage-paid return envelope template at FVAP.gov.

Please be aware that using the diplomatic pouch is very slow. It can take weeks for your ballot to reach its final destination. Use a Back-up Ballot to make the diplomatic pouch deadline if your regular ballot hasn’t arrived. Find out more here.

Returning your ballot via diplomatic pouch:
Voters in Sweden can drop their ballots at the U.S. Embassy in Stockholm. More information is on the website.

• Stockholm
  Dag Hammarskjölds Väg 31
  115 89 Stockholm Sweden
  Monday-Friday (except U.S. and Swedish holidays) 08:00-16:00
  The diplomatic pouch goes out once a week. The Embassy recommends that ballots are turned in ASAP to ensure their timely delivery to the appropriate voting county.
  
  
• If Copenhagen is closer for you, read more information on DA Denmark's ballot return section
  
  

7. Checking twice to prevent mistakes

When filling out and packaging your ballot, don't forget to review the instructions carefully. Don't let human error spoil your ballot!

Regardless of how you send in your ballot, remember that you – the voter – must be the one who places it “in the mail.” In some states, it is unlawful for any other person to handle your voted ballot, even if it is sealed. Need help? Contact us at: [email protected]. 

8. Confirming your ballot's arrival at your local election office in the United States ✓✓

Once you've sent your ballot, follow up with your local election official to make sure that it arrived and will be counted. Please do not just assume that your ballot has made it! 

Nearly all states have online tracking services. The easiest way to ensure your ballot has arrived is to go to "Track Your Ballot" on your state’s website. You can also look up your local election office's contact details here and contact them directly. They may be experiencing a high volume of calls, so you may need to be persistent to get through to someone.

9. Having trouble? Need help? 😕

We understand that the voting process to some states can be confusing — that's why we're here to help!

• Get live drop-in voter assistance via Zoom HERE
  
  
• Send us an email at [email protected] or contact [email protected]

10. Get your "I Voted from Sweden" sticker

Thank you for voting!  Tell your friends on social media that you voted with an "I Voted from Sweden" sticker free of charge. Request yours here today: Download a digital sticker.