U.S. citizen or dual-citizen living in Mexico?

 You have the right to vote!

Ready now to request your ballot? Go to votefromabroad.org

Get ready for the November 8, 2022 midterm elections. If you are or will be 18 on Election Day, you can vote.

As a U.S. citizen, you can request your ballot register to vote from Mexico -  while living, working, or traveling in the country - by submitting one form. It's easy! It doesn't matter if you were registered to vote before you left the U.S. or how long you have lived outside the U.S. (including if you've never resided there).

Here are frequently asked questions about voting from abroad:

1. Register AND Request your ballot on time.
2. How to confirm your request has been accepted.
3. How and when should you receive your ballot.
4. Complete your ballot.
5. How to return your ballot on time.
6. Confirm your ballot's arrival.
7. Having trouble? Need help?

1. Request your Ballot and/or Register to Vote!

It only takes a few minutes to register or request your ballot at votefromabroad.org. Watch these videos to see how easy it really is! 

All voters need to request their overseas ballot every election year.
Learn how to do so here!

Voter Registration Instructional Video
Ballot Request Instructional Video

IMPORTANT! Choose the option for your ballot be delivered by email. 

Once you've filled out the form on www.votefromabroad.org. Most states allow you to submit your form online - directly from votefromabroad.org without printing it.

But some states require that you print out your completed form and sign it prior to submitting by email attachment,  fax, mail or secure upload. If your state requires that you submit your form by postal mail, please use expedited delivery with a courier (express service) or the U.S. Embassy/Consulate diplomatic pouch if time allows. State deadlines and submission methods can be found here.

Questions?

• Check out Vote from Abroad's FAQ section,
• Type your question in the website's chatbox (red circle in the bottom right-hand corner), or
• Send an email to [email protected].

2. Confirm your request has been accepted - and that you will receive a ballot 

• • Always verify by calling or emailing your local election official (LEO) that you will be receiving a ballot.
  • Your LEO's contact information is listed on the final page after submitting your form via the website.
  • Contact info can be found here.

• Most states provide a website where you can verify your voter status, although these sites can sometimes be outdated. You can find it by searching for "[state] verify voter registration."

3. Receive your ballot by email. 

• Ballots will arrive 45 days before a federal election - September 24, 2022.
• Check your spam folder -- ballots can hide in there!
• If you still don't see it, please contact your LEO and confirm they sent your ballot out by email. You can look up their contact info here. You may need to send in a new ballot request form - just go to www.votefromabroad.org.

If you don't have your ballot by October 1 and you must mail it back, 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.

4. Complete your ballot.

Plus: Information about candidates, ballot initiatives, and judicial candidates 

It’s very important to vote your ballot completely. 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 local Democratic Party
  • Go to the League of Women Voters personalized ballot service at https://www.vote411.org/ballot. You can learn where candidates on your ballot running stand on the issues. 
  • Go to: Ballotpedia and search for [your state] elections 2022 - Example: Florida elections 2022

• Google the candidate's name to find their campaign website.

5. Return your ballot 

• Once you've received your ballot, fill it out and return it immediately.
• Ballot return methods vary by state (online, email, postal mail, fax). 
• If your state only allows postal mail return — which is the case in many swing states like Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Wisconsin — you must return your ballot as quickly as possible. We strongly recommend returning it no later than September 30th.

Check your state's exact ballot return requirements here.

Check your Democrats Abroad Chapter's specific ballot return options here. 

Postal mail ballot return states - courier (express mail) services:

• Utilize a local courier service to the U.S. if available.
• Ballots still take several days to get to the U.S. 
• Consider using Priority Mail Service if offered. 
• You must send it as soon as possible! We recommend by September 30th. Do not wait. Too much is on the line!

Postal mail ballot return states - U.S. Embassy or U.S. Consular offices.

• Voters in Mexico can drop their ballots off at the U.S. Embassy, or local U.S. Consulates (locations).
• Please be aware that using the diplomatic pouch does not mean your ballot will arrive quickly. It can take four to six weeks for the mail to reach its final destination.
• We do not recommend using the diplomatic pouch after October 2nd. 
• DHL your ballot to the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City:

  • U.S. Embassy Mexico City 
    American Citizen Services
    Room 101 Voting Assistance Officer
    Av. Paseo de la Reforma 305
    Col. Cuauhtémoc, 06500
    Ciudad de Mexico
    
    

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.

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

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

6. Confirm your ballot arrival (at your local election office in the U.S.)

• • 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. To find your state's website, click here and scroll down to "Track Your Ballot". 

• You can also look up your local election office's contact details here and try contacting them directly. They may be experiencing an influx of calls, so you may need to be persistent to get through. 

7. Having trouble? Need help? 😕

We understand that the voting process from Mexico can be confusing — that's why we're here to help.

Send an email to [email protected].

Or to: [email protected]

* You don't need to wait for ballots to come out on September 24. If you must mail back your ballot, we recommend you send in a Backup Ballot NOW. The Backup Ballot (the 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.