How to Vote from Ecuador in 2026
If you are a U.S. citizen living in Ecuador, you still have the right to vote in U.S. elections—and your vote matters.
2026 is a U.S. midterm election year. Voters will decide all 435 seats in the House of Representatives and 33 U.S. Senate seats. These elections determine control of Congress and shape policies that affect Americans at home and abroad. In addition, many citizens abroad can vote in critically important state and local elections, where participation is often low and abroad votes can be the 'margin of victory.'
The most important step you can take TODAY is requesting your overseas ballot.
Overseas voting is protected under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA), which guarantees Americans abroad the ability to vote absentee in federal elections.
The easiest way to request your ballot is through VoteFromAbroad.org, supported by Democrats Abroad, or through the Federal Voting Assistance Program.
⏱ It only takes about 5 minutes.
Here is an overview of everything you need to know to vote from Ecuador:
- Registering to vote and requesting your ballot
- Confirming your request has been accepted
- Receiving your ballot
- Sept 19 and your ballot hasn’t arrived?
- Voting your ballot
- Checking twice to prevent mistakes
- Returning your ballot
- Confirming your ballot's arrival
- What to do if you encounter difficulties
- Getting your "I Voted From Ecuador" Stickers
Please note that there is NO IN-PERSON VOTING in Ecuador!
1. Registering to vote and requesting your ballot
First, request your ballot and, if needed, register to vote from abroad. Do this every election year to stay on your state’s overseas voter rolls and 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 issued by states.
The right to receive your ballot via email and 45 days prior to federal elections - guaranteed only to voters abroad- is crucial for 2026 elections given recent changes in USPS postmark policy and Trump's efforts to thwart mail-in voting.
Go to VoteFromAbroad.org to fill out your online 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. Be sure to choose the option to receive ballots by email!
📌 Tip: Avoid any issues with the USPS and delayed receipt of your ballot. Request to receive your ballot by email or online download so you receive it immediately when ballots are released.
The second step is to submit the FPCA absentee ballot request (FPCA) to your local election office in the United States, as provided when you fill out your FPCA. Most states let you submit your FPCA directly without printing it. 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 at YourStateRules.
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 chatbox (red circle in the bottom right-hand corner of the screen). Or you can email us at any time at [email protected]
2. Confirming your request has been accepted ☑️
After submitting your FPCA absentee ballot request, call or email your Local Election Official (LEO) to confirm they received it and will send your ballot.
Your LEO's contact information is listed in the instructions generated when you fill out your FPCA form. You can also look up their contact info at YourStateRules
Most states provide a website where you can verify your voter status. Or you can scroll down to “Where Is My Ballot?" on your state page.
3. Receiving your ballot
Your FPCA 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. For the 2026 Midterms, ballots will be sent by Sept 19.
For all mail-return states: Consider sending a Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB) early if your state requires mail-back ballots!
📌Important: For states requiring mail-back ballots, if you are registered, you don't need to wait for ballots to come out on September 19 - especially as we are closer to Election Day. We recommend sending in a Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB) as a backup! This allows you to use a quicker and more economical method of mail, courier, or embassy/consult delivery (see below in section 3). If you then receive your state’s complete official ballot in time to mail or courier it back, you can do so; your FWAB ballot will be superseded by your state’s ballot - you will not be voting twice.
The 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 in FAQs Here
You can easily download, print, sign, and return a FWAB backup ballot at: FWAB backup ballot or fill one out online (then download, print, sign, and return) at: FWAB backup ballot ONLINE or download and fill out by hand online here: When it's time for ballots to come and you don't see yours, check your spam folder - ballots can hide in there! If you still don't see it, contact your local election official to confirm they sent your ballot. Remember, you can look up your local election official's contact info at Your State Rules.
4. Your ballot hasn’t arrived?
Check your spam folder. Still no ballot? Contact your local election official here to confirm they’ve sent your ballot. 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 September 19 and your state requires postal mail return, we recommend sending a Backup Ballot to ensure your vote reaches your state in time. You can find all details about the Backup Ballot here.
5. Voting your ballot 🗳️
It’s easy to get informed about candidates, ballot initiatives, and judicial candidates, and it's important to vote on the entire ballot you receive. State and local races are critical!
📌Many important offices are decided by very small margins. Local offices and ballot initiatives can have major impacts on communities
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 whom to vote for in those cases, you can do the following:
- Google your county's local Democratic Party
- Go to the League of Women Voters’ personalized ballot service
- Go to Ballotpedia - Example: google “Ballotpedia Arizona elections”
- Google the candidate's name to find their campaign website
📌Tip: If you need to print your ballot and don't have access to a printer, most local copy shops/centros de copiado or imprentas offer print services
6. 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.
7. There are lots of ways to return your ballot! 
Ballot return methods – by email, online, postal mail, fax – vary by state. Always return your ballot as quickly as possible, especially if your state only allows postal mail returns.
Find your state's exact ballot return methods at YourStateRules
If your state allows email, online upload, or fax for ballot returns, please use these options as they’re not subject to delay!
If you vote in Alaska, California, Florida, Louisiana, or Oklahoma, you can return a ballot by fax or an email-to-fax service (but not by email).
● Not sure how? Find guidance on fax programs and how-tos here: information on how to return a ballot by fax.
● Need help scanning your ballot? Watch this video on how to scan using your smartphone.
For Fax submission, you can use a free email-to-fax online service such as:
Alternatively, use a local copy shop/centros de copiado or imprentas offering international fax services
📌Note: The FVAP email-to-fax service is no longer available under the current administration.
Post Office
Use your local post office only IF you have reliable postal service in your area! And IF you are sending your ballot back early enough to allow time for delivery to your local election office in the States. Be sure to add international postage to your Postage Paid envelope, and make sure your ballot receives a same-day postmark.
Note: If you happen to be in the US to mail your ballot: You can go inside and request the clerk apply a same-day manual postmark called a "round-date stamp" for no extra fee.
📌Important: Recent USPS operational changes in postmark procedures mean delays for voted ballots arriving at your Local Election Office by your state's deadline. For all mail ballot return methods from abroad, be sure to obtain a date of mail stamp as noted below and allow additional time for your ballot to reach your Local Election Office.
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.
The U.S. Embassy Diplomatic Pouch:
📌 Prepare your ballot to be dropped into the USPS in an outer envelope to be delivered to the Embassy in Quito or the Consulate in Guayaquil. You must place your ballot in a sealed envelope addressed to your local US election office (using the free, postage-paid template)
The State Department permits a trusted friend, family member, or designated volunteer to physically drop off your ballot package at the Embassy or Consulate drop boxes on your behalf.
📌Please be aware that using the diplomatic pouch does not mean your ballot will arrive faster. Mail sent through the embassy or consulate can normally take between two to four weeks to reach its destination. All overseas U.S. citizens are advised to submit their forms and ballots accordingly. We do not recommend using the diplomatic pouch after October 1st, or when you cannot be sure your ballot will arrive by your state’s deadline.
📌You must use U.S. postage or a U.S. postage-paid election envelope because, upon arrival in the U.S., the pouch contents must enter the U.S. Postal Service system. The USPS will ultimately be delivering your ballot to your Local Election Office, and new postmark procedures could cause delays that might result in your ballot not being postmarked by your state's deadline.
📌 Be sure to ask for a Consular Stamp upon handing over your ballot to the Embassy; your Local Election Office will use this date in lieu of a postmark date. And with all mail return ballots, allow additional time for your ballot to reach your Local Election Office.
📌Embassies and consulates are not polling places. You cannot vote at an embassy or consulate.
Courier Service
You can bypass the Embassy completely by using an international express carrier (such as FedEx or DHL) directly from Cuenca to your U.S. local election office at your own expense. International couriers are a more reliable and timely option, and some may offer specific discount rates for official election ballots.
Important: You must ask for a postmark or date stamp to be placed on the outer envelope when mailing using any service.
📌Tip: Family members whose ballots are in separate postage-paid envelopes and both addressed to the same local election office may use one courier delivery package.
📌Tip: Check your state’s deadline for ballot return and count backward to ensure timely delivery. The postmark date is important to ensure your ballot is counted! Find out your state’s requirements here.
📌Tip: Even with expedited courier services, ballots still take several days to get to the United States.
📌Tip: We do not recommend booking or paying online with any courier service. You will not receive a postmark if you book or pay online.
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 don't assume your ballot has arrived!
The easiest way to confirm your ballot has arrived is to use "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 reach someone.
9. Having trouble? Need help? 😕
Visit VotefromAbroad.org, check out the VoteFromAbroad FAQ, or use the online chat bubble for live support. Trained voter assistance is available for live, online voter help (via Zoom) - see here. Or email us at: [email protected]
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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 |
10. Get your "I Voted From Ecuador" sticker
Thank you for voting! Let your friends and family know you voted from abroad.
Celebrate with a digital “I Voted From Ecuador” sticker here