U.S. Citizens must register to vote each year

[NEWMtnMama]

This post is not political but rather informational, and any posts that are deemed political will be removed by the mods so please show restraint I strongly feel that voting is a responsibility and a right for every eligible citizen. If you are a U.S. citizen, you must register in order to receive a ballot even if you are already registered to vote. Absentee ballots for overseas voters have different rules and procedures than regular absentee ballots. The Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) requires that US citizens living abroad register every year and request a ballot in order to vote during that year. By law the state must send each registered overseas voter a ballot 45 days before each election.

All registered overseas voters are allowed to vote in Federal elections and some states allow them to vote in state and local elections as well. Each state, and some local counties, have their own rules so it is important to know the rules for the state where you will be voting. All states must offer the voter application and ballot be delivered electronically (recommended) by fax or by mail. Most states allow the form to be returned electronically or by fax but some require return by mail.

There are several Websites where you can register as an overseas voter. The federal government site is Federal Voting Assistance Program. I recommend using the Vote From Abroad.org site because they have a more robust step-by-step interface and offer on-line help.

1. First you need to verify that you are still registered to vote. States purge their voter rolls for a variety of reasons so check first to be sure you are still registered.

2. Request a Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) from your local election official.

3. You will need to provide the following information:

• Full name, US voting address and ZIP code.
• Your current, non-US address.
• Your social security number (some state only request the last 4 digits)
• Possibly your state ID (if you have one)
• Political party (not required but necessary in some states to vote in the primary)

4. Complete, verify the information and return the form to your local election official.

5. Confirm that the form has been received. You should receive conformation that the form has been received and approved within a week. If not, contact your local election official. If there are problems, use the VoteFromAbroad Website to help you resolve them.

 

[John Shrall]

Thanks for the reminder.

Texas requires transmission of an FPCA application each year in order to receive ballots by email. The Dallas county office accepts signed FPCA applications by email so the entire process is electronic and only takes a few minutes to fill out the form, print, sign, scan and email.

[ibarra]

Arizona does not require that you register annually.  You can sign up to receive ballots electronically for 4 years at a time. To vote in Federal elections you must list your current address in MX as a temporary address. If you indicate your address as permanent, you can only vote in State and local elections.  Ballots can be uploaded and verified as to their receipt. We have voted for the last 25 years while living fulltime in MX and registered in Arizona.

[Floradude]

My precinct in Seattle, Washington is very good about sending me my ballot for 21 years.

[Kiko]

Texas voting rules are very decentralized so each of the 254 counties may have different requirements.  I call my county each election to confirm the requirements.  To register is the easy part.  The preparation and submission of your ballot can be a challenge for a first timer as the rules may change with each election.  The good news is LCS does a good job of providing assistance to complete the final steps when the election is near.  It is more than a responsibilty and right.  It is a privilege that should not be taken for granted.

[moderator-2]

Irrelevant, trolling post and responses removed.  Carry on.

[NEWMtnMama]

As you can see from the above comments, rules vary wildly so you need to know your state and county rules. If you usually get a ballot without doing anything, it is still a good idea to confirm with your local election official just in case something has changed.

Remember, with the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) you are registering to receive an Absentee Ballot as an overseas citizen. The rules are very different from regular Absentee Ballots and you almost always need to request the ballots for the coming year first using the FPCA. Primary voting is starting already so complete your form, return it and confirm it has been received now. Use VoteFromAbroad.org for easy step-by-step instructions and request the ballot be returned electronically for fastest service. Do this now as you may need to return both the FPCA and the ballot by mail which takes additional time.

Also VoteFrom Abroad offers an app for creating an electronic signature that you can use on your smart phone so you don't need to print and scan the FPCA form. I tried it and found it very easy to use.

[NEWMtnMama]

Don't forget if you are a U.S. citizen living abroad, you must register in order to receive an absentee ballot. This is different than requesting a regular absentee ballot.  Primary season has already started and Super Tuesday, with many states holding their primaries, is fast approaching. Do it now if you haven't already done so. I suggest going to Vote From Abroad.org for a quick, easy to use step-by-step guide for registration. Be sure to select receive ballot electronically as some states require that ballots be returned by mail.

If you have already registered, confirm that your request has been received. Local election officials are required to send you a ballot 45 days before the election. It is a good idea to vote your ballot as soon as it is received in case there are any problems.

Each state's primary rules are different. If you have selected a party, you can vote in all 50 state primaries but if you are unaffiliated you may be able to vote in either party's primary or may need to declare a party preference. In some states you can declare a party as late as the day of election, in others it may be as long as 30 days before the election. Find out your state and county rules before it becomes a problem.

Questions can be asked and answered on the Vote From Abroad.org Website.

[NEWMtnMama]

There will be personal voter assistance at Lake Chapala Society tomorrow, Monday 12 Feb, from 10 am to 1 pm.

[NEWMtnMama]

Super Tuesday and other primaries are fast approaching. Remember to get your ballot in if you haven't already done so. Each state is a little different so check the rules for your local election. If you have declared a party you can vote in every state, but if you are unaffiliated, you may or may not be able to vote in the primary election.

[NEWMtnMama]

Voter assistance will be available at LCS Monday 25 March from 10 am to 1 pm. Remember overseas voters must register and request a ballot every year.

[dvinton]

Oregon does not require that you register annually.

[ibarra]

4 minutes ago, dvinton said:

Oregon does not require that you register annually.

In an earlier post, I commented that Arizona does not require that you register annually, either.  Must update voting information every 4 years.  North Dakota is the only state where you don't have to be registered to Vote.  Every state has different rules and regulations.  

[NEWMtnMama]

3 hours ago, ibarra said:

In an earlier post, I commented that Arizona does not require that you register annually, either.  Must update voting information every 4 years.  North Dakota is the only state where you don't have to be registered to Vote.  Every state has different rules and regulations.  

I checked the VoteFromAbroad website and overseas voters must register and request a special absentee ballot in every state. Specific rules may be different but FPCA is a federal law.

[ibarra]

I don't really care who you checked with.  Arizona does NOT require that overseas voters register yearly.  We are required to update our status every 4 years.  We voted in the March primary, vote was counted and the primary should be certified soon.  If you feel Arizona is in violation , please contact them:

[mexbound]

King County Washington (Seattle), we vote by email in every election. Never have to re-register. Never get an absentee ballot in the mail.

[NEWMtnMama]

Each state and county may be a little different and rules can change with a new election official. Plus some states are purging their voter lists using postcards to the voter's last address. If you aren't registered as an overseas voter, your vote may not be counted. Verify that your information is correct with your local election official.

[NEWMtnMama]

Arizona Sec of State has information about overseas and military voting and appears to require registration. https://azsos.gov/elections/voters/registering-vote/uniformed-overseas-citizens

And just for the record North Dakota requires overseas voters registration just like everybody else.

[ibarra]

Of course you have to register in AZ. Just not annually. Everyone should check what the regulations are for their state for overseas voting.