As the US enters the 2026 election cycle with its critical mid-term elections, we've brought together information from a number of sources, customized for Sweden.

1. Request your ballot

• As soon as possible (preferably now), all US citizens abroad over the age of 18 are urged to complete and return a Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) at VotefromAbroad.org to register (if necessary) and request your ballot for all elections taking place in the course of the year: primaries, special elections, and November’s general election (3 November).
  • The process takes normally a maximum of five minutes.
  • Ask to receive your ballot by email or online download if one of these is available in your state.
  • Some states including California allow use of the FPCA for 17-year-olds who will turn 18 in time for the election.
• In many cases, VoteFromAbroad is able to submit your FPCA for you. Otherwise, follow the directions for returning your signed form to your local election office. State-specific instructions are provided.
• The FPCA form allows you to update voter information as needed – such as name, party affiliation, address, and ballot preferences (e.g., electronic vs. paper).
• Using this form provides federal voter protections generally not available to domestic vote-by-mail voters, such as:
  • Getting your ballot sent to you by email or via online download;
  • Receiving your ballot at least 45 days before any federal election;
  • In some states, being able to return your ballot by email or online;
  • Being able to use a so-called back-up ballot: the Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot. This ensures that your vote in federal elections gets counted in case of any problems receiving or returning the official ballot.
• The FPCA is exclusively for use by overseas voters, based on their last place of voting residence in the US. It does not matter how long you have been abroad nor whether you have any remaining ties to your voting address. Many states, but not all, allow US citizens who have never resided in the US to vote based on the last residence of their US-citizen parents or guardians.

2. Follow up to confirm receipt

• After submitting the FPCA form, you should hear back from your local election office within a few days. If not, contact them to confirm that they have received your form and that you will receive your ballots.
• Your local election office contact information is included in the instructions you receive on completing the FPCA.
• You can also look up your local election office contact at VoteFromAbroad.org/states.
• In case you do not find an email from your local election official, check your junk or spam folder.

3. Receive and return your ballot

• Under federal law, states must send ballots to overseas voters who have requested them a minimum of 45 days before any federal election. In 2026, that will be 19 September for the 3 November election.
• You can still complete an FPCA form after 19 September, provided that your local election office receives the form by the voter registration or ballot-request deadline for your state. You can find these deadlines at VoteFromAbroad.org/states.
• You are strongly encouraged to vote the entire ballot (not only those portions you are most interested in!), as well as down ballot (state and local elections) if you have that option. Local elections often prove to be the most important!
• Research candidates and issues on your ballot using resources such as Blue Voter Guide, Ballotpedia, Vote411, and the League of Women Voters. Check out the candidates’ websites. Look for endorsements from state or local Democratic parties, newspapers, and unions. For California voters, CalMatters is an excellent resource.
• Avoid stress!
  • Request to receive your ballot electronically.
  • Upon receipt of your ballot, vote and return it right away, by the fastest means possible! Be aware that many states require ballots to be returned by postal mail even when they have been received by email or online download.
  • Follow all directions that accompany the ballot, including when and how to return it. In many cases, even minor errors such as forgetting to sign or date somewhere can invalidate the entire ballot.

4. Follow up, again

• Allow up to two weeks for delivery of postal mail to the US.
• Plan to have your ballot received no later than election day, even if your state allows counting of ballots postmarked by election day.
• Contact your local election official to confirm that the ballot has been received.
• Contact your local election official to confirm that your vote has been counted.
• Need help?
  • Use the online chat at VotefromAbroad.
  • Trained voter assistance is available via Zoom. Make an appointment.
  • Email [email protected].

5. Things to keep in mind

• Make sure to attach sufficient postage when returning your ballot by postal mail. That means weighing your ballot before sending, preferably at your local postal ombud! The current postage is 44kr for up to 50g, but most ballot returns will weigh more than that.
• Registered mail (rekommenderat brev) can be used but may slow delivery.
• Where time is short, consider an international express courier, such as DHL, FedEx or UPS. Note that these couriers cannot deliver to P.O. boxes. These should take 2-5 days from Sweden. Do not require signature-on-delivery as this may cause delivery to be refused.
• Do not use the US embassy diplomatic pouch, as this is likely to result in significant delays.
• Remember that you cannot vote at the embassy in Stockholm or at consular missions elsewhere.

6. Finally, complete a back-up ballot

• All voters voting by absentee ballot (not only overseas voters) are entitled to submit a Federal Write in Absentee Ballot (FWAB): www.fvap.gov/fwab. It’s a handy form of insurance.
• The FWAB can be used to vote for federal elections. Its usability in state and local elections varies by state.
• You can submit a FWAB while waiting for your official ballot to arrive or for your local election office to confirm receipt of your returned ballot.
• There is no penalty for completing both the official ballot and the FWAB. If both are received, only the official ballot will be counted; otherwise, the FWAB will be counted.
• Go to the website, then follow the prompts with the online assistant to fill in the required information and your ballot choices. If you are unsure of the candidate’s name, it is sufficient to indicate their political party.
• Alternatively, you can also just print out and fill in the form here.
• In some states, the FWAB can be used to vote on ballot initiatives. Write the proposition number, then whether you support or oppose it: for example, “Prop. 50 – yes”.
• You will find more information about the FWAB on the Vote from Abroad website: https://www.VoteFromAbroad.org/faqs/BB1.

7. Celebrate!

• Tell your friends and family that you voted!
• Get a digital “I Voted” sticker you can share on social media: https://www.fvap.gov/IVotedSticker.