I am a U.S. citizen living abroad. Can I vote in U.S. elections?
Yes. Generally, all U.S. citizens 18 years or older who are or will be residing outside the United States during an election period are eligible to vote by absentee ballot in any election for Federal office.

Why should I vote in U.S. elections?
You would probably be outraged if someone told you where to live, what to wear or what to eat. Elected officials make decisions that directly affect your daily life. They have a key role in formulating U.S. foreign policy, the appointment of U.S. Ambassadors, ratification of treaties, participation in international organizations and many other decisions that affect Americans living overseas. By not voting, you allow others to decide issues that greatly and directly affect you and your family.

What is an election for Federal office?
An election for Federal office is any general, special, runoff or primary election to select, nominate, or elect any candidate for the office of President, Vice President, Presidential elector, Member of the United States Senate, Member of the United States House of Representatives, Delegates from the District of Columbia, Guam, Virgin Islands, and American Samoa, and Resident Commissioner of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

When are the elections?
This year, the general election is November 2, 2004. States and territories hold primary, runoff and special elections throughout the year.

Can I vote at the U.S Embassy or Consulate?
No. However, Voting Assistance Officers and staff at U.S. Embassies and Consulates will help U.S. citizens complete registration forms and absentee ballots, witness or notarize the forms or ballots (if required), and provide other non-partisan absentee voting information. They will also allow you to send voting materials through the diplomatic pouch or APO/FPO mail system to your local election officials in the U.S., where your registration and ballot requests are processed and voted absentee ballots are counted.

How can I register to vote and apply for an absentee ballot?
Obtain a Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) and your state's registration and voting instructions from the Voting Assistance Officer, complete the form legibly, and mail it to your local election officials.

Registration requirements vary by state. All states and territories now allow the citizen to register and request an absentee ballot by submitting a single Federal Post Card Application (FPCA).

Follow your state's procedures and instructions precisely. Failure to print legibly or to provide all requested information may cause local election officials to reject or delay the processing of your application.

Where can I find absentee registration and voting procedures for my state?
The Federal Voting Assistance Program publishes an excellent resource book entitled the 2004-05 Voting Assistance Guide. Chapter III of the 2004-05 Voting Assistance Guide contains detailed state by state instructions. Voting Assistance Officers, consular agents and voting volunteers in the American community have copies of the Guide.

Can I find the 2004-05 Voting Assistance Guide on the Internet?
Yes. The 2004-05 Voting Assistance Guide, a wealth of other voting information, and links to other election-related sites are available at http://www.fvap.gov/pubs/vag.html.

Is the FPCA also available on the Internet?
Yes, but not everyone can use it. The Federal Voting Assistance Program website contains an on-line version of the FPCA (OFPCA). Forty-five states allow its use. The five states plus territories that do not accept the OFPCA will refuse to register or send ballots to overseas citizens who use the OFPCA.

Where do I send my FPCA?
Look at your state's absentee registration and voting procedures in Chapter III of the 2004-05 Voting Assistance Guide. Under the heading "Where To Send It," you will find a list of addresses for city and county local election officials. Send the FPCA to the city or county where you are registered to vote.

I'm not currently registered to vote. If I do not maintain an address or residence in the U.S., what is my voting residence?
Your legal state of residence for voting purposes is the state or territory where you last resided immediately prior to your departure from the United States. This applies to overseas citizens even though they may not have property or other ties in their last state or territory of residence and their intent to return to that state or territory may be uncertain.

When completing the voting residence section of the FPCA, be sure to enter the entire mailing address of your last U.S. residence, including street or rural route and number. This information is necessary for local election officials to place you in the proper voting district, ward, precinct or parish.

U.S. citizens who have never resided in the U.S. usually claim one of their parent's legal state or territory of residence as their own. Some states, but not all, will allow these citizens to register and vote absentee.

I do not know the address where I last resided in the US. How can I figure it out?
Search your records or check with family members for your U.S. address. Look at Chapter I (pages 8-9) of the 2004-05 Voting Assistance Guide for help in determining your voting residence. When completing the FPCA, provide your fax number and e-mail address, and the telephone number of a relative in the US to make it easy for election officials to follow up with additional questions if necessary.

Can I submit my FPCA electronically?
You cannot submit the FPCA via the Internet, but most states will let you fax the FPCA if you then send in the original by mail. Follow your state's instructions for electronic transmission of the FPCA.

Do I have to submit a separate application for each election?
No. By sending in one FPCA to your local election officials, you will receive ballots for all Federal elections during the current calendar year.

Does my FPCA or ballot have to be witnessed or notarized?
Most states and territories no longer require witnessing or notarization of FPCAs or ballots. If needed, Embassy officials will perform these services free of charge. Consult Chapter III of the Guide for your state's requirements.

Do I need to pay postage to send in the FPCA?
It depends. The hard copy of the FPCA has pre-paid franking. It can be mailed without the need for postage stamps if it is sent through any APO/FPO mail facility, the Embassy or Consulate diplomatic pouch, or hand-carried to the U.S. and dropped off in the U.S. postal system.

If you download or photocopy the OFPCA, and send it through the diplomatic pouch, APO/FPO facilities or arrange for it to be hand-carried to the U.S. and dropped off in the U.S. postal system, you will first need to put it in an envelope and affix U.S. postage stamps.

If you send the FPCA or the OFPCA via the foreign postal system, you will need to affix international postage stamps.

Some express courier services may offer to send voting materials free of charge to the U.S. and deposit them into the U.S. postal system. The FPCA does not need any postage, but the downloaded OFPCA does. Contact the courier service or your Voting Assistance Officer for details.

If you send the FPCA or OFPCA by express courier service directly to local election officials, you need not affix postage but will have to pay applicable express courier charges.

When is the best time to apply for an absentee ballot?
Apply today. Generally, if you are using the FPCA to both register and request an absentee ballot, you should mail it in as early in the calendar year as possible. If you are using an FPCA to request a ballot, send it in so election officials receive it at least 45 days before election day to allow them ample time to process the request and mail a ballot back to you. Consult Chapter III of the Guide for further information on state or territorial deadlines. Be sure to advise your election official of any change to your address.

When should I receive my ballot?
Most states and territories begin mailing ballots to citizens 30-45 days before an election. Experience should tell you how long it takes for mail from the U.S. to reach you. Be sure to provide a clear, accurate and complete address in the "Mail To" section of your FPCA. Use the address at which you receive the swiftest mail service from the US.

Can I send in my voted ballot by fax or the Internet?
You cannot submit your voted ballot via the Internet, but some states will let you submit the voted ballot by fax under certain conditions. Follow your state's instructions for electronic transmission of the ballot.

Will my absentee ballot be counted?
Every properly executed absentee ballot that is received by your local election officials by the deadline - usually close of polls on election day - will be counted. However, if it is not properly filled out or if it reaches its final destination after your state's ballot receipt deadline, it will not be counted.

My state will count my ballot as long as it is post-marked by election day and received by the state ballot deadline. Does an express courier service datestamp count as a postmark?
The decision whether to accept a courier service date stamp as a postmark is up to your local election officials. Contact them directly for the answer or contact FVAP by e-mail at vote@fvap.ncr.gov or through the FVAP toll-free number for your country.

What should I do if my ballot is delayed or just doesn't show up?
If you have not received your ballot three weeks before the election, contact the Federal Voting Assistance Program's Ombudsman Service by e-mail at vote@fvap.ncr.gov for help in determining when your ballot was mailed. Always execute and return your absentee ballot regardless of when you receive it. Court decisions sometimes require the counting of ballots voted and postmarked by election day, but received late. Obtain a Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot from your Voting Assistance Officer and send it in.

What is the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot?
The Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB) is an emergency or back-up ballot available from your Voting Assistance Officer. It is not available on the Internet. To be eligible for this ballot, a citizen must:

1. Be located overseas.
2. Apply for a regular ballot early enough so that the request is received by the local election official at least 30 days before the election.
3. Fail to receive the requested regular absentee ballot.

Where can I find information on state and local issues while overseas?
Surf the Web for information! Alternatively, subscribe to hometown newspapers or contact friends and relatives for information on state and local issues. Also, Federal Voting Assistance Program's website has links to sources for information on candidates, parties and issues.

Will I be taxed by my last state or territory of residence if I vote absentee?
Voting in elections for Federal offices only does not affect the determination of residence or domicile for purposes of any tax imposed under Federal, state, or local law. Voting in an election for Federal office only may not be used as the sole basis to determine residency for the purpose of imposing state and local taxes.