Voting from Abroad

With less than a month to go before the Presidential Election, be sure to take a look at NAFSA's "Five Things to Do Before Voting in November." 

Resources and Links 

• TerpImpact - the University of Maryland's Coalition for Civic Engagement and Leadership
• Youth Vote Overseas - one-stop resource on overseas voting
• For more information on the FPCA, please see the Federal Voting Assistance Program's Frequently Asked Questions
• Sources: Federal Voting Assistance Program and NAFSA's page on Absentee Voting 
• Please consult your state's voting and registration procedures.

Abroad during an election year?  You can still vote! Citizens who will be living outside the United States have a few steps they must take to ensure that they receive an absentee ballot. If you did request an absentee ballot, be sure to send it back in as soon as possible so that your vote can be counted in this important election!

For those living overseas, even temporarily, there is a federal form called the Federal Postcard Application (FPCA) that should be used to request an absentee ballot and/or register to vote. This will allow you to vote in any election for Federal office. Note that this process is different than the procedure to register for domestic absentee voting. The process is as follows:

Absentee Voting Process for Students Studying Abroad

1. Citizen completes and mails the Federal Post Card Application Form (SF-76) well in advance of the election date. Generally, it's best for local election officials to receive the FPCA at least 60 days before the election. If the citizen is both registering to vote and requesting an absentee ballot, the FPCA may need to be mailed earlier. Be sure to sign and date your FPCA. Registration and Absentee Ballot Request Form.
2. Local Election Official approves Registration request or requests further information.
3. Local Election Official mails absentee ballot (usually 30-45 days before an election).*
4. Citizen votes and mails the absentee ballot to the Local Election Official in time to meet state deadlines (See state specific information below).

*In order to receive an absentee ballot in a timely manner, it is imperative for citizens to keep their local election official informed of address changes. If you do not receive your ballot by two weeks before the election, contact your local election office.  All states and territories accept the FPCA as an application for both voter registration and request an absentee ballot; however, deadlines, addresses, and other procedures vary from state to state.