We can make 2026 a wave election, but that only happens if we all turn out to vote! The end of a regular postal system in Denmark is making things trickier for us as overseas voters. Read more below for tips and tricks on how to make sure you receive your ballot with enough time to vote it and get it back to your voting jurisdiction.
Step 1: Get a ballot
Register and/or request your absentee ballot from your voting state. It's as easy as 1,2,3!
1. Go to www.votefromabroad.org to fill out your absentee ballot request form (FPCA).
2. Sign the form.
3. Email (or mail) the form to your election official as directed by the website.
Make sure you ask to receive your ballot electronically (email/online), so you don't have to wait for delivery to your postbox. Federal law says that all states must have a way to send ballots electronically to overseas voters! If your state usually sends a paper ballot in the mail, please consider sending a new absentee ballot request form and ask to receive your ballot electronically.
Step 2: Vote your ballot
Your ballot will be sent out 45 days before Election Day. That will be September 19th for the November 3rd, 2026 general election. To find out when your state's primary election is, check https://www.votefromabroad.org/states.
Is your election in less than 45 days, but you haven't received a ballot yet? First, check your spam/promotions/junk folder for an email from your election office. If you don't have an email waiting, you can contact your election office (find info at https://www.votefromabroad.org/states), send a new FPCA (see Step 1), or email [email protected] for help.
Step 3: Return your voted ballot to the U.S.
Your ballot will come with instructions about how it can be returned once you have voted it. You can always use postal mail, but more than half of the states allow some sort of electronic voted ballot return. If you vote in a state or DC that allows electronic return of voted ballots, we strongly encourage you to return your ballot electronically!
➡ If fax is your only electronic ballot return option, read more at https://www.votefromabroad.org/faqs/fax-ballot-without-machine for options if you do not have a fax machine handy.
➡ If you vote in one of the states where postal mail is your only option for voted ballot return, make a plan to vote and return your ballot as soon as you receive it!
✋ DA Denmark does not recommend using DAO to return ballots because our test letters are taking over 30 days to reach the U.S. and DAO does not stamp letters with any sort of date code.
Options if you must return your voted ballot by postal mail:
➡ Bring (or mail) your sealed voted ballot envelope to the U.S. Embassy/Consulate for inclusion in the diplomatic pouch:
The U.S. Embassy in Copenhagen sends ballots once a week in the diplomatic post. It can take 2-4 weeks for your ballot to arrive at the local election office, so drop it off in good time. You will need to place your ballot in a U.S. postage-paid election return envelope (usually provided with your ballot) or in an envelope bearing sufficient U.S. postage. You can also download a free U.S. postage-paid return envelope template at FVAP.gov.
The U.S. Embassy in Denmark is located at:
U.S. Embassy Copenhagen
Dag Hammarskjölds Allé 24
2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
Nearest train stop: Østerport (S-train and Metro)
Ballots can be dropped off at the Embassy’s Consular Section on any business day between 8:30 am and 4:00 pm (except U.S. and Danish holidays). Please note that all visitors to the Embassy may be subject to security screening and you will not be permitted to bring electronic devices, including cell phones, inside the facility. Remember to bring ID, preferably a U.S. passport. Your ballot envelope will be x-rayed.
You can also mail your sealed ballot envelope (inside an outer envelope) to the Embassy to be placed into the diplomatic pouch. Remember to use proper Danish, Greenlandic, or Faroese postage. Mail to: U.S. Embassy Copenhagen, ATTN: Voting Assistance Officer at the address above.
➡ Use a courier service (DHL, FedEx, UPS, etc.):
A courier service – DHL, Federal Express, etc. – is generally the quickest option for getting your voted ballot back to the U.S., but even with expedited courier services, ballots still take several days to get to the United States.
Courier services cannot send to a P.O. Box! Be sure to confirm the street address with your local election official if a P.O. Box is the return address on your ballot.
You should – and some states require you to – 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 as you may not receive a postmark if you book or pay online.
➡ Take a day trip to Sweden or Germany:
Sweden and Germany still have regular postal mail systems. Our test letters from Sweden are taking 2-3 weeks to be delivered in the U.S. and they do have a postmark date.
Need more help? Send us an email at [email protected] or [email protected] or check out the frequently asked questions on Vote from Abroad!
Thank you for voting! If you would like to print an “I Voted from Denmark” sticker go here.
