Voting in US Federal Elections

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Voting in US Federal Elections

U.S. citizens living overseas are eligible to vote by absentee ballot in all federal elections  regardless of how long they have lived overseas, or whether they have ever been registered or voted before.

To register and request ballots, U.S. citizens who will be 17 on the day of the election in which they wish to vote should complete a voter registration application and absentee ballot request form (called a Federal Post Card Application or FPCA).

The form must be returned to the citizen's local election bureau in the United States. This is the bureau associated with the citizen's last physical address in the U.S. immediately before he or she left the country; this address determines the voter's Congressional District and where his or her ballots will be counted. It doesn't make any difference how long ago the citizen left the U.S. or whether he or she has any current ties to, or intent to return to this location; this is the citizen's "voting residency address."

Voters who voted in the last election may not necessarily receive a ballot automatically and should register every election year to receive one.

Most states and the District of Columbia will send the absentee ballot by email or fax, or the ballot may be available as a download. Ballots should be received or be available at least 45 days prior to each election. Ballots must be returned via mail, courier or may be returnable by fax. The Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB), a blank emergency ballot, may be used to vote if the ballot is not received.

Voters are urged to file a new absentee ballot request every calendar year - and whenever their contact information or overseas address changes - to ensure they receive ballots for every election in which they are able to vote.

Many states and U.S. territories also allow overseas citizens to vote in state and local elections; the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot can often be used to cast ballots in these contests as well.

Additionally, some states now specifically allow U.S. citizens who have never lived in the United States - for example, young people born and raised overseas who are just turning voting age - to register and vote using their U.S. parents' "voting residency address." U.S. citizens who have never lived in the U.S. are urged to get assistance from a qualified source before attempting to register to vote and request ballots.

Forms and assistance are readily available from the Voting Assistance Officers at the US Embassy in Paris as well as from the Consular office in Marseille.

• US Embassy, Paris
  Tel: 01 43 12 22 22
  e-mail
• US Consulate General, Marseille
  Tel: 04 91 54 96 10
  e-mail

The Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) administers the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, the federal law under which overseas citizens vote. It is the primary source for information about voting from overseas. The FVAP also offers an online tool for preparing a voter registration application/absentee ballot request, as well as the emergency blank, federal write-in ballot.

• Federal Voting Assistance Program
  Tel: 0800 917 304 (toll-free number to call from within France)
  e-mail

The Union of Overseas Voters is a non-partisan, non-profit organisation based in Paris and governed by American citizens residing abroad. The Union's Voting Assistance Officers provide voter assistance, as well as presentations to interested organisations about voting procedures and overseas citizens' voting rights. During election season the Union holds regular voting assistance sessions for the public.

• Union of Overseas Voters
  Postal address: 4 rue des Arènes, 75005 Paris
  Tel: 01 84 16 62 04?
  Tel: 0805 696 408 (toll-free number to call from within France)
  e-mail

The Overseas Vote Foundation (a non-partisan, non-profit organization) website for U.S. voters residing abroad provides an online tool to generate a voter registration/ballot request form (customized to meet individual state regulations), state-specific election information such as deadlines and delivery options, contact information for all state and local election officials, links to non-partisan candidate information, a 24-hour help desk, and an online tool to generate an emergency ballot (FWAB).

• Overseas Vote Foundation
  Postal address: Overseas Vote Foundation, 4325 Old Glebe Road, Arlington, VA 22207, USA
  Tel: +1 202 470 2480
  e-mail

Party Websites and Absentee Voter Assistance

• The Democratic Party
• Democrats Abroad, a very active organisation in France, assists American's living outside the US to vote by overseas absentee ballot
  • See the website for full instructions: VoteFromAbroad.org
• The Republican Party
• Republicans Abroad has voter assistance on its website
• Youth Vote Overseas (YVO), an initiative of the Overseas Vote Foundation, provides online tools and services for young American voters studying or residing overseas.