U.S. Citizen Services
Voting
The Federal Voting Assistance Program is responsible for administering the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act. This Act requires that states and territories allow most U.S. citizens to register and vote absentee in elections for Federal Office.
Citizens eligible to vote absentee include:
• Members of the Uniformed Services (including Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard)
• Merchant Marine
• Eligible family members of the above
• Commissioned Corps of the Public Health Service, and Commissioned Corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
• U.S. citizens employed by the Federal Government residing outside the U.S.
• All other private U.S. citizens residing outside the U.S.
Absentee voting and registration is accomplished through the use of the Federal Post Card Application, which can be obtained from any U.S. consular section. Please note that in-person voting or on-site registration CANNOT be conducted at the Embassy.
Please visit the Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) for further information. Please click here for answers to most frequently asked questions about absentee voting.
You will find the 2007-2008 Voting Assistance Guide on the FVAP website. The Guide provides information on the Federal Voting Assistance Program, including a chapter on State Absentee Registration and Voting Procedures, which gives the requirements, state-by-state, for voting and the procedures for filling out the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA). The site also has a list of primary dates in each state and other information of use to U.S. voters.
The On-Line Version of the Federal Post Card Application (OFPCA) is an alternative to the cardstock Federal Post Card Application (FPCA). The OFPCA is accepted by all States and Territories except American Samoa and Guam. If you send the OFPCA to American Samoa or Guam, the form will not be processed. The form can be filled in on-line at http://www.fvap.gov/pubs/pubforms.html, printed out, signed, dated, placed in an envelope with proper postage and then mailed to the appropriate Local Election Official (LEO).