Some time ago some of the forum’s American expats (Germany, France) posted that no American living abroad could vote. I said my cousin has lived in Canada for 45 years and still votes absentee.
Here’s what she said:
Register with the county where you last lived.
They prepare a ballot specifically for overseas Americans that just includes federal offices. They will mail this ballot to you. This happens for both the primary contest and the November general election.
That should be very useful information for the affected people, and good of you to provide it, toby.
If you’re going to be Federally taxed, at least be represented, and vote for that representation.
I've been getting periodic emails telling me about how Americans can vote abroad. They're coming from the Department of State since I'm enrolled in the STEP program. I wasn't sure why they were sending them to me, because I'm not living abroad, but I guess they send them out if you're subscribed.
At any rate, here's the website for the Federal Voting Assistance Program, where you can go if you are living abroad or military, etc. and need to vote. https://www.fvap.gov
For what it's worth, I don't think it's just a federal ballot. They ask for the state that you're living in, and you click on that, and then I guess you can vote by absentee for the state that you are officially a resident of.
I vote in Oklahoma, in the county where my parents live. I have for 20 years. I get to vote in all the federal/state/district/county races and for state questions.
Indeed, the FVAP that Mardee cited is the way to go to get hooked up with your local county election board.
Note that I learned just this summer that it is a totally different process if you live in the States and are asking to absentee vote because you will be abroad at the time of the election in question. I had no idea that was the case !
IMO, people living abroad need to look into this very carefully. From what I can see there is not a “federal ballot” as states control elections. And you register in the state of your last residence.
Kim, I am in the process of trying to accomplish just that, since I will be traveling on Election Day. It is not simple!
We refer to these ballots as UOCAVAs ( Uniformed and Overseas Citizen Absentee Voting Act).
In Minnesota, US citizens that that are out of the country temporarily (like military) get a normal ballot based on their permanent address. Those that are indefinitely out of the country get a federal ballot. For the primary, our county federal ballot had two races (US Senate and U.S. House of Representatives).
I know a friend from high school that has lived in Canada for over 50 years and votes UOCAVA (different paperwork and process than the normal absentee ballot). She uses the MN address she last lived at which is now an empty lot.
Mnannie:
My cousin is mailing her ballot to MN. Since states determine some aspects of eligibility to vote (not just hours of voting and absentee processes but whether felons can vote, or incarcerated can) I wonder if other states allow citizens but non-residents to vote in local/state elections as Kim describes?
Sure, that could be Toby. It also depends on whether the citizen's stay in another country is temporary or permanent.
That’s pretty much what that website I linked above said, Toby. Every state is different and some just allow you to vote in federal elections, and others let you vote in local elections.
Your cousin is absolutely correct. Of course we can vote, and there are campaigns around the world, at least by Democrats Abroad organization, to be sure everyone living outside the country knows how to register and to urge them to vote.
One is ultimately registered in the State and county of their former residence, and the method of voting varies from by mail to by internet depending on the State and local laws.
In the 1970s, I used to drop off my ballot in a sealed and signed envelope at the Embassy in Paris.
I’d like to see that post because it’s not exactly correct. It was probably about which offices we can or cannot vote for. This so kind of you to do a PSA.
This is a good resource with individual state information.
Our county's election office webpage has a link to request these ballots directly. It can also be found on the Minnesota Secretary of State's website. The request for any citizens requesting a ballot from our county pops up in our local system ready for review and processing. The quickest way is to have the ballot emailed to you. It does have to be returned by mail.
Of course we can vote. At least for now. I have no recall of anyone on the forum saying we could not vote absentee ballot. They are a bit of a pain to get, but where there is a will there is a way. You register to vote in the state where you last resided. For federal elections, you need to re-register every time. It doesn't just roll over and continue.
Democrats Abroad do a great job of helping people get registered to vote. Have never seen a single stand from Republicans Abroad, at any event where Americans might gather, do this and I have lived here for almost 4 decades, in a city that used to have a lot of Americans in it. I always wondered why they didn't care if we voted or not. Odd isn't it? Something like 11 million Americans live abroad and our vote counts.
We have voted in US local, state and federal elections when we are in France. Each state has their process for voters abroad. Ours (Washington State) is digital. Our son, in Ireland, also votes each election. Contact your state's Secretary of State for detailed information on how to register to vote from abroad.
Have never seen a single stand from Republicans Abroad
I've never met a Republican in London. Not one that has let on anyway. I don't think they travel so well.
Before moving to London I'd never met a self-confessed Tory in real life either, so there's that.
Please remember to get your ballots in extra early because of the new post office rules of receipt, rather than postmark, by election day. Our mail goes over two hours to Spokane now that they have removed our mail handling facility. Our ballots will sit there until they decide they want to postmark them---and then the ballots will need to be returned to our county to be counted. I guess you can request hand stamping by taking your ballot into a local post office. We deliver ours to the ballot box at election headquarters.
