Step by Step Guide to Voting by Absentee Ballot + FAQ

If you are a US citizen overseas and you're eligible to vote, it is your obligation to make sure your vote counts in next year's Presidential election, and to do that you will need to request an absentee ballot.

Expats Against Bush has compiled a Step by Step Guide to Voting by Absentee Ballot, as well as a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section to deal with the most common questions we've had.

The Step by Step Guide and the FAQ may be found below.

They may also be found here as a Word Document (160K).

Step-By-Step Guide to Voting by Absentee Ballot

As we all saw in the 2000 Presidential Election, every vote counts. As an expatriate American you are more than likely eligible to vote, and your vote will help us win this election so long as you follow the steps below to ensure you can vote from abroad and that your vote is valid.

Registering to vote by absentee ballot involves submitting an application for a ballot to the election officials in the US state/county in which you last resided. You should then receive an absentee ballot which you must return in a timely fashion before the election date.

1. Make sure you’re eligible to vote by absentee ballot. You can vote by absentee ballot if you’re either:
   1. a US citizen residing overseas or
   2. a member of the US Uniformed Services or a family member of one, either residing in the US or overseas
2. Obtain a Federal Postcard Application either as a paper form (request one from vote@fvap.ncr.gov) or, for every state except Ohio, you can download the form from here: http://www.fvap.gov/pubs/onlinefpca.html
   
3. Fill out the Postcard Application: Using the instructions on that page, either use Adobe Acrobat Reader to fill out the form or print it out and fill it in by hand using block capitals. Important: Each state varies which fields on the form they require you to fill out in order for the State Election Authority to approve your request for an absentee ballot. An incorrectly-completed form may result in you not receiving a ballot in time, so please see the State-by-State guide here: http://www.fvap.gov/pubs/vag/vagchapter3.html
   
4. Send the Postcard Application to your county’s Board of Voter Registration, again details can be found here: http://www.fvap.gov/pubs/vag/vagchapter3.html. Note that some states allow you to submit Postcard Applications by fax as well as by post.
   
5. Await your Absentee Ballot. You should get this anytime from 45 days prior to the Federal election onwards. If you do not receive it in a timely fashion, you may request an emergency write-in ballot. Details at http://www.fvap.gov/pubs/vag/pdfvag/chapter_1.pdf
   
6. Fill in your Absentee Ballot in a timely fashion and return it by post to your county’s local election official so that it arrives prior to the closing of the polls on Election Day.

Please see our attached Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for more information.

Frequently Asked Questions about Voting by Absentee Ballot

• I live overseas; do I need to register to vote by Absentee Ballot?
  In a word, yes. If you’re eligible to vote, and you live overseas or you’re in the military, you need to apply for an absentee ballot in a timely enough fashion for your local election office to send you an absentee ballot and for you to be able to fill it out and get it back to them by the close of the polls on Election Day. If you do not apply for a ballot every time you want to vote, you cannot guarantee that you will be able to vote by absentee ballot, and your potential vote will be wasted.
  
• But I’ve registered to vote by Absentee Ballot before, do I need to do it again?
  Yes. Election boards sending out unsolicited Absentee Ballots is extremely rare. Again, f you do not apply for a ballot every time you want to vote, you cannot guarantee that you will be able to vote by absentee ballot, and your potential vote will be wasted.
  
• I’ve never registered to vote back home, does that mean I can’t vote by Absentee Ballot?
  Whether or not you have ever registered to vote at home, registering for an absentee ballot guarantees you the right to vote by absentee ballot, period. Don't take any chances with your right to vote.
  
• Where do I register to vote by Absentee Ballot?
  You vote in the last county/state you last resided in, even if it was for a short period prior to you leaving the US.
  
• Do I need to register for State Primaries? How do I do that?
  If you wish to vote in your State’s Primaries, you should check when your State Primaries are here: http://www.fvap.gov/pubs/vag/pdfvag/appendix_b.pdf.
  • If they occur in January or February 2004, then you should follow the procedures to apply for an absentee ballot before the end of 2003. You will receive an absentee ballot for the Primary, which you should fill out and return ASAP. You should then request another absentee ballot once your primary election has taken place – this is the only way to ensure you will also receive an absentee ballot for the Federal Election in November.
    
  • If your State Primary occurs later than February 2004, then you need to submit your application for your absentee ballot no later than 45 days prior to your Primary in order to receive and submit your absentee ballot in time. You should then request another absentee ballot once your primary election has taken place – this is the only way to ensure you will also receive an absentee ballot for the Federal Election in November.
• I forgot to do a tax return three years ago, won’t registering to vote get me in trouble?
  No. Your local election board is not nefariously connected to the Internal Revenue Service. If you are eligible to vote, nothing should stop you voting. Period.