Request your ballot NOW! The midterm elections are coming on November 8. Your vote is crucial to helping Democrats get elected and moving our state and country forward!

Ohio can turn the tides this year if you turn out to vote! Ohio has a US Senate and a Governor’s race where candidates are within points of each other in the polls. It could go either way! We have three strong female candidates running for the Ohio Supreme Court and a chance at having incredible Democratic candidates all the way down the ballot elected into office. This election will change Ohio’s future on gerrymandering, women’s healthcare rights, climate change, education, and so many other issues that affect us no matter where we are in the world. 

Keep reading below for:

• Detailed instructions on how to request, return, and track your ballot
• Detailed instructions on when to use a Backup Ballot
• How to help us reach more Ohioans abroad
• How to get help with voting

Mark your calendar – ballots for the Midterm election will go out on September 23 to all Ohio overseas voters who’ve already requested a ballot in 2022. And if you requested to receive your ballot by email, be sure to check your spam/junk folder. 

If you haven’t requested your ballot yet for 2022, you MUST send in an FPCA to receive your ballot, even if you’re already registered to vote.

Go to www.votefromabroad.org and follow the prompts to fill out the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA), the form to request your ballot (and register you to vote if needed). To ensure you receive your ballot in time, please check the box to have your blank ballot sent to you by “Email/Online” or “Fax.”

After you’ve filled out the form, follow the instructions to send your signed FPCA to Ohio. You can send in your FPCA by email (recommended) or fax or postal mail:

• If you’re already registered to vote, you MUST still send in an FPCA to request your ballot in 2022. Your FPCA must be received by November 5, 2022, at 12 pm Ohio time.
  
  
• If you’re NOT yet registered to vote, your FPCA must be postmarked by October 11, 2022.

When you fill out the ballot request form, and you’re a civilian voter, you will be asked to mark if you “intend to return,” or if your “return is uncertain,” or if you’ve “never resided” in Ohio.

It is up to you to decide which category to choose – only you know whether you currently intend to return to live in the US. The category you choose won’t affect the ballot you receive. All Ohio voters receive a full ballot with state and federal races.

Please note: Registering to vote does not change your tax status. But selecting “intend to return” may be a factor, along with facts specific to your life, in determining whether you are subject to state income tax. Before you note that you “intend to return” on your form, you may consider seeking advice on these matters from a tax professional.

After you send in your ballot request form, we recommend you ALSO fill out and mail in a Backup Ballot (the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot, or FWAB), especially if you live in an area with unreliable/slower postal service. You can mail it in today – and your Backup Ballot will have more time to make it back by Election Day! 

For detailed information about using a Backup Ballot, please click here.

You can request to have your ballot sent to you via email to avoid postal delays. This is highly recommended, but make sure you can print out your ballot. It will arrive 46 days before the election, so send your request early! 

• • Although you can RECEIVE your ballot by email, it must be RETURNED by POSTAL MAIL and postmarked by Election Day. 
  • Be sure to sign where instructed before mailing back your ballot.
  • Late return is the #1 reason ballots are rejected, so mail yours back ASAP.
  • You can use the diplomatic pouch (though it may delay arrival ... check with your country committee for local advice) or private courier service (such as UPS or DHL) to send back ballots. 

Track Your Ballot:  Using your name and the PIN that comes with your absentee ballot, you can track your ballot as it makes its way back to Ohio and is processed via this link.

Frequently Asked Questions: Do you have questions about how to send in your ballot or to check election results? You can find those answers here!

2022 General Election

➡️ Ballots sent out: September 23 (Check Email/spam/promotions folders!) 

➡️ Registration Deadline (Civilian): Postmarked by October 11

➡️ Ballot Request Deadline: Received by November 5

➡️ Election Day: Tuesday, November 8 (Ballot must be postmarked by Election day and be received  by November 18)

HELP US REACH MORE OHIO VOTERS 

• Who else do you know from Ohio who’s living abroad? Let them know they need to request their November 8th ballot NOW!
• Like and share our voting information on social media. One-click on a Democrats Abroad Facebook page or Vote from Abroad Facebook page item will send it to your friends and groups, at home and abroad.

NEED HELP? 

Detailed information about voting in the Ohio Midterm election is available here.

You can also write to [email protected] or respond to this email if you need further assistance. And thank you for voting!

 

Democratically yours,

Heidi Burch
DA Vote From Abroad Coordinator
and
The DA Ohio State Team