THE TRANSATLANTIC MAGAZINE
THE TRANSATLANTIC MAGAZINE
Whether overseas US citizens can vote from abroad on election day depends, due to state-based voting rules and whether the voter is registered or has requested an absentee ballot. Depending on a voter’s US state of voting residence they may be able to register to vote, request a ballot, and return a ballot, even on election day itself.
The majority of states require voters to register to vote before election day (with some registration deadlines being 15 or 30 days before election day). Most states also require overseas voters to have requested an absentee ballot before election day. Thus, in most cases, overseas US citizens who are not registered to vote cannot vote on election day,
However there are some exceptions to this. For example, North Dakota does not require voters to register to vote and Washington state does not require voters to request a ballot. Washington state is also a state that permits voters to register to vote and return a ballot on election day.
For voters who have already registered to vote and requested an absentee ballot by their state’s deadlines they can still vote from overseas on election day if their state permits the ballot to be returned by email or fax (equating to around half the US states). If voters have registered to vote and requested an absentee ballot by their state’s deadlines but have not received their absentee ballot then they can also vote using the Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot (FWAB) from FVAP.gov if their state permits the ballot to be returned by email or fax. Overseas Americans can use FVAP's online assistant to walk you through the form here: www.fvap.gov/fwab
Some states allow for voters to use the FWAB to register and to vote, but this is subject to state voting deadlines.
To check your state’s election deadlines and voting guidelines (e.g. how your state accepts the FPCA and FWAB), go to FVAP’s online guide here: www.fvap.gov/guide, then click on your state.
