All American citizens are reminded that 2008 is an election year in the United States. Every seat in the U.S. House of Representatives and one-third of the seats in the U.S. Senate are being contested this year. Overseas citizens are eligible to participate in primary, run-off, and special elections that occur throughout the year, as well as the general elections in November.
The U.S. will hold elections on November 4, 2008. There are presently 123 days to go.
U.S. citizens who plan to vote in U.S. Elections are urged to submit their voter registration and/or absentee ballot requests well in advance. Use the Federal Post Card Application, available on-line from the Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) website at www.fvap.gov.
Each state has its own regulations and deadlines for registering and requesting absentee ballots. Your state may require receipt of your request as early as 30 days before the election. Check the FVAP website for guidance.
Many states now allow overseas voters to fax in their registration and absentee ballot requests. Some states will fax out blank ballots to overseas voters, and a smaller number of states allow overseas voters to fax back the voted ballot. A few states allow the use of e-mail. See your state's rules for use of fax or e-mail at FVAP's web page: Electronic Transmission Alternatives by State.
Some states will begin mailing out absentee ballots to overseas voters by the third week in September. Voters should pay careful attention to their state's ballot receipt deadlines, and must comply with any post-marking, witnessing or notarization requirements. Overseas voters who are required to mail in their voted ballot should plan to allow up to three weeks for delivery via U.S. diplomatic pouch or international mail. Some express mail companies may offer special rates or services for U.S. overseas voters.
Voters who fail to receive a ballot from their local election officials may be eligible to use a federal emergency write-in ballot. The federal write-in absentee ballot, or FWAB, is available on-line from the FVAP website. However, most states will allow you to use it only if your initial ballot request reaches local officials by 30 days before the election.
For additional resources about absentee voting, including links to non-partisan sources of information, see the U.S. Department of State web page: Absentee Voting Information for Americans Abroad.
Overseas citizens groups help people to vote. We encourage you to contact Democrats Abroad, Republicans Abroad or other American citizens groups or organizations for assistance in registering to vote and requesting absentee ballots.
To register to vote and to request an absentee ballot, download the Federal Post Card Application from the FVAP web site. You can also obtain this form from overseas American citizens groups or from the U.S. Embassy/Consulate. Fill it out and send it in, following the guidelines for your state. A postage-paid envelope template, valid if you are using the U.S. postal system, is also available.
- On-Line Version of the Federal Post Card Application
- Returning your Federal Post Card Application or Ballot to your Local Election Official
Each state has different voting procedures. Information about your state's procedures is available online in the Voting Assistance Guide. Information about your state's deadlines to register and vote is in Primaries and the General Election is also available.
- 2006-07 Voting Assistance Guide - State Absentee Registration and Voting Procedures
- Primary Election Calendar and Deadlines
- Election Dates by State
States sometimes make last-minute changes. There may be late changes to your state's voting calendar, procedures or deadlines. When these occur, the Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) will issue a News Release.
Be an educated voter. Non-partisan information about candidates, their voting records, and their positions on issues is widely available and easy to obtain via the Internet. Use the links appearing on the Federal Voting Assistance Program website, or choose any one of several search engines to locate articles and information.
An emergency ballot is available. If the ballot receipt deadline is approaching, and you have not yet received the blank ballot from local officials, you can download an emergency ballot, write in the names of the candidates and the offices for which they are running, and send it back in time to meet your state's ballot receipt deadline.
In the past, a U.S. federal statute provided that voting in a foreign election was an "expatriating act" that resulted in loss of U.S. citizenship. In the decision of Afroyim vs. Rusk (1967), however, the U.S. Supreme Court held that expatriation by voting in a foreign election is unconstitutional and also laid down the rule that a U.S. citizen has a constitutional right to remain a citizen unless he or she voluntarily relinquishes that citizenship by intentionally performing an expatriating act.
- Federal Voting Assistance Program telephone hotline for callers from Canada: 1-800-438-8683
- Democrats Abroad Canada
Phone (416) 916-2022 or (877) 336-2008.
E-mail: demcan@sympatico.ca - Republicans Abroad Canada
Phone (416) 595-8636
E-mail: info@republicansabroad.ca
