Your State of Legal Residence
Your legal residence, for voting purposes, is defined as the state in which you lived prior to moving abroad. You do not need to own or rent property in this state or plan to return someday. In fact, 21 states and the District of Columbia allow U.S. citizens to register in a state in which they have not lived but where a parent is eligible to vote.
Eligibility for Those Living Abroad
You are eligible to vote absentee in U.S. primary and general elections if you are 18 years or older. Some U.S. states allow those living abroad to vote absentee at state and local office elections and referendums. For more information on state elections, visit the Federal Voting Assistance Program’s Voting Assistance Guide or the Overseas Vote Foundation (a non-partisan voter advocacy organization).
Registration and Absentee Ballot Request
If you live abroad, you will need to register to vote with the local election officials in the state of your legal voting residence. Keep in mind that you’ll need to request a new absentee ballot each year you wish to vote. One form will do the job of registering and requesting – the FPCA. You will need a new FPCA if you change your name, address or email.
To get started, visit www.fvap.gov. The website will guide you step by step through the registration process and provide FPCA forms for download. For further assitance, you can contact the Federal Voting Assistance Program or the Overseas Vote Foundation. An online assistant will take you through the process.
Sending Your Completed Absentee Ballots
To send your ballot, you can use a variety of user-friendly methods.
- Local mail – That’s right, you can send your ballot via international mail with the appropriate postage.
- U.S. Embassy Pouch/APO/FPO – You can drop your completed ballot at the U.S. Consular Agency in Nuevo Vallarta. Note that it needs to be addressed to your local election officials.Sufficient postage or a postage-paid envelope (found on FVAP) is a must.
- Email, Fax or online – Many states will allow you to return your completed ballots electronically.Check out FVAP to see what options are available in your state.
- Express Courier Service – If the clock is ticking, and you’re not sure if the other methods will get your ballot in on time, then a professional courier service can get the job done for you. These include UPS, DHL and FedEx.
