Voting

Introduction
Overseas Americans – estimated at 9 million by the US State department – have had the right to vote in Federal elections since 1975 thanks to grassroots campaigning by citizens and organizations, particularly Democrats Abroad. Since that time, it's become clear that a theoretical right to vote does not necessarily translate into an effective reality. Each state has different procedures and deadlines, information distribution is difficult, and mail delivery times can be problematic.

Great strides have been made in recent years. More overseas Americans than ever before who wish to vote are able to do so. Congress passed important legislation both protecting and facilitating overseas citizens' ability to vote. Online registration tools like Vote From Abroad at www.votefromabroad.org have made it even easier to send a yearly request for ballot required by the law.

News

UPU Advice for 2019 Voters

posted by | DA Switzerland / Global GOTV Co-Chair
September 05, 2019

The US administration has tentative plans to withdraw from the Universal Postal Union (UPU) treaty mid-October 2019. Should that withdrawal happen, postal mail from abroad back to the US may experience delays and price increases. To make sure you can successfully cast your ballot in your state's elections this year we recommend the following steps:

Prepare and send in your ballot request form now to your local election office via votefromabroad.org.
- When you fill in your request form, make sure you indicate you choose to receive your ballot by "Email or online".
- Do not choose "Mail".
Ballots for November 5 elections should be available on or around September 21.
If you have not received your ballot by September 22 reach out to your local election office to find out its status. Find election office contact information at https://www.votefromabroad.org/states.
Once you received your ballot, we recommend returning your ballot by email or fax if your state allows it.

For those states that do not allow ballot return using email or fax, please vote and mail back your ballot immediately to avoid any disruption in mail service after October 17:
- Kentucky, New Jersey, or Virginia voters: vote immediately and postal mail the ballot back to your local election office this September.
  ➜ share with Kentucky voters | New Jersey voters | Virginia voters on Facebook
- Mississippi voters should use email or fax to return your voted ballot.
  ➜ share with Mississippi voters on Facebook
- Louisiana voters: contact your election office for permission to use fax to return your ballot.
  ➜ share with Louisiana voters on Facebook
- If you email your ballot, ask for confirmation that your ballot has been received.

Is your vote dependent on the postal service?

Does your state accept elections materials using alternatives to postal mail, such as email, online upload, or fax? Or is postal mail mandated?

I. States restricting transmission to postal mail for

a. Voter Registration (FPCA)

Alabama
Florida
Idaho
Oregon
South Dakota
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming

b. Ballot Request (FPCA)

Alabama
Wyoming – if originally registered with FPCA

May submit FPCA by email or fax, but must mail form too:

Arkansas
Connecticut
New Jersey
New York
Rhode Island

c. Voted Ballot Return 🗳

Arkansas
Connecticut
Georgia
Idaho
Illinois
Iowa *email/fax only in "hostile zone"
Kentucky
Maryland
Michigan
Minnesota
Missouri *email/fax only in "hostile zone"
New Hampshire
New York
Ohio
Pennsylvania
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas *fax only in "hostile zone"
Vermont
Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming

May return by email or fax, but must mail marked ballot too:

New Jersey

II. States offering electronic options (email, online access, fax) to

a. Deliver Blank Ballot to Voter

Every state will send absentee ballot electronically to voters abroad if preference to receive voting materials by "Email or online" or "Fax" is indicated on Ballot Request form (FPCA).

b. Return Voted Ballot 🗳

Alabama – return using online upload of ballot if choosing to received voting materials by "Email or online."
Alaska – return by fax if choosing to received voting materials by "Email or online" or "Fax."
Arizona
California – return by fax
Colorado – vote online at ballotreturn.sos.colorado.gov
Delaware
District of Columbia
Florida – return by fax
Hawaii
Indiana
Louisiana – return by fax with prior arrangement by LEO
Kansas
Maine
Massachusetts
Mississippi
Montana – vote online at www.vote4montana.us
Nebraska – return by email or fax with prior arrangement by LEO
Nevada
New Mexico
North Carolina
North Dakota
Oklahoma – return by fax
Oregon
Rhode Island – check with your election official to return by email or fax
South Carolina
Utah
Washington
West Virginia

2019 Special Elections

posted by | DA Switzerland / Global GOTV Co-Chair
May 20, 2019

for Vacancies in the U.S. House

⚠️ NC03, NC09 SPECIAL ELECTIONS 🗳VOTE NOW! EMAIL BALLOT BY SEPT 10

North Carolina's 3rd | North Carolina's 9th | Pennsylvania's 12th | see Ballotpedia for State Legislative Special Elections ➚

Make a new ballot request for 2019 — send the form right away!

Go to www.votefromabroad.org to complete the *Ballot Request form (FPCA).
Follow the Instructions to attach your signature online—or—print out and sign the completed form.
Send the signed FPCA to your election official. You may EMAIL, FAX or MAIL your FPCA to your Local Election Official.

We recommend that you request to receive your ballot by email/online or fax, for the fastest delivery. You can expect to receive your ballot 45 days before the election.

If you have any questions while filling out the form, VoteFromAbroad.org has an online chat box (the orange square in the lower right corner of the screen).

After you send in your form, be sure to email or call your Local Election Official to verify they received it and will be sending a ballot to you. The applicable contact information is in the printed instructions from VoteFromAbroad.org included with your completed form. You can also look up the contact information for your Local Election Official here: www.votefromabroad.org/states

North Carolina's 3rd Congressional District — Special General: Sept 10, 2019

Concerns all overseas voters who vote in the eastern portion of the state and includes all or parts of Currituck, Camden, Pasquotank, Perquimans, Chowan, Tyrrell, Dare, Hyde, Beaufort, Pamlico, Carteret, Pitt, Craven, Onslow, Jones, Lenoir, and Greene [MAP] to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Walter Jones (R) on February 10, 2019.

Allen Thomas won the Democratic nomination [www.allenthomascongress.com | Facebook | Twitter | Ballotpedia bio ]

The Republicans must go to a Primary Runoff Election to pick their nominee. The Republican only Primary Runoff Election will be held on July 9, 2019. Allen Thomas (D) will face the winner of the Republican nomination in the Special General Election on Sept 10, 2019.

General Election: Sept 10, 2019: Register to Vote: Sept 9, 5pm (NC time) by email, fax or mail; Request Ballot: Sept 9, 5pm (NC time) received by email, fax or mail; Return Ballot: mail by Sept 9, 11:59pm (voter time) and ballot must be received by Sept 19,
OR email or fax received by Sept 10, 7:30pm (NC time); *May use FWAB to register to vote and vote at the same time.

North Carolina's 9th Congressional District — Special General: Sept 10, 2019

Concerns all overseas voters who vote in the southern portion of the state and includes all or parts of Anson, Bladen, Cumberland, Mecklenburg, Richmond, Robeson, Scotland and Union counties. [MAP]

With only 905 votes between the top two candidates, NC State Board of Elections refused to a declare a winner following the November 6, 2018 General Election, due to ballot fraud allegations in parts of the district, specifically in Bladen and Robeson Counties. On February 21, 2019, voted 5-0 to call a new election. The GOP candidate implicated in the fraud announced that he would not run in the special election, citing a "health situation".¹ ²

Dan McCready (D) is still in this race and, as the only Democrat running, there was no need for a Democratic Primary. [ DanMcCready.com | Facebook | Twitter | Ballotpedia bio ]

Pennsylvania's 12th Congressional District — Special Election: May 21, 2019

Republican Fred Keller won the May 21st Special Election, retaining the seat for the Republicans. He'll serve out the remainder of the term and stand for re-election in Nov 2020.

Concerns all overseas voters who vote in portions of Bradford, Centre, Clinton, Juniata, Lycoming, Mifflin, Northumberland, Perry, Potter, Snyder, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Tioga, Union, and Wyoming counties [MAP] to fill the vacancy caused when Representative Tom Marino (R) resigned from office on January 23, 2019 to take a job in the private sector.

Democrats nominated Marc Friedenberg (D) on February 12: [ www.MarcforPA.com | Facebook | Twitter | Ballotpedia bio ]

General Election: May 21, 2019: Register to Vote: April 22 mail by or received by email, fax or online ⁱ; Request Ballot: May 20, received by email, fax or mail; Return Ballot: mail by May 20, no later than 11:59pm and received by May 28 at 5pm; *Must register to vote prior to using the FWAB to vote.; ⁱ If registering to vote online, overseas voters must also send in the FPCA form to request a ballot by the deadline

⚠️Remember that PA changed their congressional districts in 2018 so be sure to check the 2018 Remedial Map for New District 12.

2019 State Gubernatorial and Legislative Elections

posted by | DA Switzerland / Global GOTV Co-Chair
January 20, 2019

Five states — Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Jersey and Virginia — will hold General Elections in November 2019 for state executive offices, state legislative offices or both.

		State Election
Tue	May 21	Kentucky Primary
Tue	Jun 04	New Jersey Primary
Tue	Jun 11	Virginia Primary
Tue	Aug 06	Mississippi Primary
Tue	Aug 27	Mississippi Primary Runoff (If needed, top two finishers for any office where no candidate receives at least 50% of the vote in the Mississippi Primary Election)
Sat	Oct 12	Louisiana Primary (Any candidate who receives at least 50% of the vote in the Louisiana Primary Election wins office and does not go to the Louisiana General Election)

Sat	Sep 21	45 Days to Election: overseas absentee ballots for the General Election should be arriving

Tue	Nov 05	General Election - Kentucky, Mississippi, New Jersey and Virginia
Sat	Nov 16	General Election - Louisiana (If needed, top two finishers for any office where no candidate receives at least 50% of the vote in the Louisiana Primary Election)

Advice for voters on US plans to withdraw from the Universal Postal Union (UPU)

Download 2019 State Gubernatorial and Legislative Elections list (Google Doc)

What is on the Ballot in 2019?

Kentucky — includes Governor, Lt. Gov, Attorney General and Secretary of State
*All overseas voters, except those who have "never resided in the U.S.", may vote in KY state elections
➜ share on Facebook
Louisiana — includes Governor, Lt. Gov, Attorney General, Secretary of State, State Senate and State House
*All overseas voters, except those who have "never resided in the U.S.", may vote in LA state elections
➜ share on Facebook
Mississippi — includes Governor, Lt. Gov, Attorney General, Secretary of State, State Senate and State House
*All overseas voters, except those who have "never resided in the U.S.", may vote in MS state elections
➜ share on Facebook
New Jersey — General Assembly
*Overseas voters who indicate they "intend to return" may vote in NJ state elections
➜ share on Facebook
Virginia — includes State Senate and State House
*Overseas voters who indicate they "intend to return" may vote in VA state elections.
In addition, VA overseas voters who indicate their "return is uncertain" may vote in VA state elections if they provide the name of an overseas employer for either the voter or the voter's spouse or the voter's parent (if the voter is a dependent)
➜ share on Facebook

Federal review of ballot request and back-up ballot forms

posted by | DA Switzerland / Global GOTV Co-Chair
January 17, 2019

Drafts of the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) and Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB) forms are available for review and comment on the Federal Register until January 22 at regulations.gov.

The Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act -- also know as UOCAVA, the federal law that defines overseas voting -- requires that the Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) review and accept public comment every three years on the two federal forms: the FPCA used to register to vote, request an absentee ballot and update contact information, and the FWAB backup ballot if the voter doesn’t receive a requested ballot in time.

View and comment on the draft FPCA form: https://www.regulations.gov/docket?D=DOD-2018-OS-0092

View and comment on the draft FWAB form: https://www.regulations.gov/docket?D=DOD-2018-OS-0091

See all posts

Upcoming Events

Do you like this page?