Why Use the Federal Postcard Application on Vote from Abroad?
Overseas voters should request their ballot in each calendar year to ensure they receive a ballot and their vote will be counted. Requesting your ballot with a Federal Postcard Application (FPCA) via Vote from Abroad provides you as a voter with state voting information that has been checked to be accurate and up to date.
But the service VFA provides goes even further: trained volunteers at Vote from Abroad provide voter help through our 1:1 voter help Zoom Rooms, DA hires a voter protection expert to work with voters when they think they’ve been disenfranchised or unable to vote, and DA advocates with state legislatures to expand ballot access and voting rights for US citizens abroad.*
Access to federal elections for US citizens living overseas – both private and military – are protected under a federal law, the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA). Voters covered by UOCAVA are entitled to certain protections that states may not extend to other voters.
For example, states must allow UOCAVA voters to use the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) to register to vote and request a ballot and use the Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot (FWAB) as a backup ballot for federal offices if their requested state ballot does not arrive in time.** Also, states are required to transmit ballots to UOCAVA voters at least 45 days before federal elections and must offer electronic transmission of voting information and blank ballots.
Furthermore, some states do not recognize UOCAVA protections for military and overseas voters who do not use the FPCA.***
A ballot’s a ballot, right? Wrong!
An FPCA requested ballot:
Has a 95% acceptance rate…
and a voter may use a backup ballot if needed.
States must allow UOCAVA voters to use the FPCA to register to vote and request a ballot and use the FWAB as a backup ballot for federal offices if their requested state ballot does not arrive in time.
Ballots are sent earlier and electronically…
and increases the return rate by almost 30%.
States are required to transmit ballots to UOCAVA voters at least 45 days before federal elections and must offer electronic transmission of voting information and blank ballots.
Only 3.4% of overseas eligible citizens voted in 2022
Request your ballot on Jan 15, 2024
And be counted!
*In 2023 in New Jersey, thanks to volunteers at Democrats Abroad, the DA initiated voting rights bill A3929/S2899 was signed into law. This new law allows overseas voters whose return to New Jersey is uncertain to vote in state elections (citizens who mark 'My return is uncertain' on the Federal Post Card Application).
**Provided the voter’s initial application was timely – a good reason to fill out your FPCA today!
*** Based on the 2020 and 2022 PEVS-SEO data. Read the entire FVAP 2024 report here: https://www.fvap.gov/uploads/FVAP/Reports/rtc_20231113_V10_FINAL.pdf