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Vote from abroad

Living abroad doesn't cost you your vote. Every US citizen overseas can vote in federal elections, from anywhere in the world, with one form: the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA). Here's how to register, get your ballot and make sure it counts.

Send the FPCA

It registers you and requests your ballot in one go. Send a new one every January, and whenever you move.

Get your ballot

States must send overseas ballots at least 45 days before a federal election, and offer them electronically.

Send it back in time

Check your state's return rules. If your ballot hasn't shown up, use the backup ballot, the FWAB.

Start here

How to vote

Registering to vote from abroad: the FPCA, box by box

One form registers you and requests your ballot from anywhere in the world. Here's how to fill in the FPCA section by section, and why to send a fresh one every January.

Voting and obligations

Voting from abroad: the FPCA, the backup ballot and your voting state

Living abroad doesn't take away your vote. Send the FPCA every January, know your voting state, and keep the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot as a backup.

Dates and deadlines

The overseas voting calendar: what to do and when, 2027 to 2028

The midterms are done, and the clock for 2028 is already running. Here's when to send your FPCA, when ballots go out and a month-by-month checklist.

All voting guides

How to vote

Registering to vote from abroad: the FPCA, box by box

One form registers you and requests your ballot from anywhere in the world. Here's how to fill in the FPCA section by section, and why to send a fresh one every January.

How to vote

Getting and returning your ballot from abroad: email, fax or mail

Your ballot can reach you by email in minutes. Getting it back is where the rules split: some states take email or fax, many insist on paper. Here's how it works.

How to vote

The FWAB: your backup ballot when yours hasn't arrived

Requested your ballot but it never came? The Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot lets you vote for federal offices anyway. Here's when and how to use it.

How to vote

Why overseas ballots get rejected: the common mistakes and how to fix them

Most overseas ballots count. The ones that don't usually arrive late or miss a signature. Here's how to keep yours out of the reject pile.

How to vote

Where to get help voting abroad: embassies, FVAP and volunteers

Stuck on a form or worried your ballot won't make it home? Embassies, FVAP, your local election office and volunteer groups all help for free. Here's who does what.

Dates and deadlines

The overseas voting calendar: what to do and when, 2027 to 2028

The midterms are done, and the clock for 2028 is already running. Here's when to send your FPCA, when ballots go out and a month-by-month checklist.

Dates and deadlines

Primaries and caucuses from abroad: picking the nominees from overseas

Primaries decide who's on the November ballot, and you can vote in them from abroad. Here's how the party box on the FPCA works and what caucuses mean for you.

Special cases

Which state you vote in from abroad: your last US address decides

You don't pick your voting state from abroad. It's the last place you lived before you left. Here's how that works when life back home got complicated.

Special cases

Voting from abroad and state tax: what the federal rule protects

Voting for President from abroad won't put you back on your state's tax rolls. But your vote can still show up in a residency audit. Here's where the line is.

Special cases

Voting for the first time from abroad: turning 18 and born overseas

Turning 18 overseas, or never lived in the US at all? Here's how to tell if you can vote, which state's ballot you get, and how to send your very first FPCA.

Our voting guides are strictly nonpartisan: how, when and where to vote, never who to vote for. Party groups abroad are named side by side.