How to Vote in the 2026 U.S. Elections from Overseas
There are two sources AARO recommends for overseas voters to register to vote and request a ballot: The Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) and the U.S. Vote Foundation. To learn more about voting in your state, we recommend using the U.S. Vote Foundation’s Voter Journey Map.
Even if you have never voted while living overseas, you can still vote. The process is easy by following just a few steps:
- Complete the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA).
You can complete the FPCA by pdf on FVAP.gov. FVAP also provides an online voting assistant. This tool allows you to directly select your state and then helps you fill in the application, generating a printable FPCA for you to print and sign. The U.S. Vote Foundation has a similar service. All 50 states allow you to receive your ballot by email. At the end of your FPCA, we encourage you provide an email address and opt-in to receiving your blank ballots electronically. Include your current mailing address, even if you are requesting your ballot to be sent to you by email.
The FPCA registers you to vote and requests your absentee ballots for all federal elections (presidential and state primaries, run-off, special, and the November general election). All election commissions/registrars or what FVAP.gov refers to as “election commission / registrars” in the U.S. and its territories accept the FPCA. Under the laws of some states, you may also be eligible to vote in your local and state elections. Whether you are a first-time overseas voter or vote absentee in every election, we recommend that you send in an FPCA every year and each time you move.
- Submit the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA)
The online voting assistant also provides instructions on how to submit the application to your election commission / registrar. You will have to print and sign your FPCA, but some states allow you to email it back. FVAP.gov has a document that tells you if your state accepts electronic FPCAs.
If your state requires you to return a paper copy of your FPCA, send it to your election commission / registrar.
- Receive Your Ballot
After submitting your FPCA, many states allow you to confirm your registration. The U.S. Vote Foundation’s “Am I registered?” page has detailed information on how to check your registration and contact your election commission / registrar.
Election commission / registrars are required to place absentee ballots in the mail at least 45 days before a federal election.
- Complete & Return Your Ballot
To allow sufficient time for your ballot to arrive in the U.S., complete and return your ballot as soon as possible. Be sure to avoid stray marks on your ballot, as they might invalidate it. Some states also allow you to electronically submit your ballot. Check the Federal Voting Assistant Program’s Voting Assistance Guide to see if your state does. If you are submitting your ballot by mail, you can do it one of three ways:
- A courier service such as FedEx or DHL.
- The local Postal Services: Use international mail by placing your FPCA or signed and dated ballot in a properly addressed envelope, bearing sufficient postage. Allow 4-5 weeks for your application or ballot to be received, though transit time will vary depending on the country you mail from.
- U.S. Mail via Embassy Services/Ballot Drop Box: You can download a postage paid envelope (that may be printed on a C4 size envelope). Address the mail to your local board of elections and drop it off at a U.S. embassy or consulate. This mail goes through the diplomatic pouch, and therefore might take longer, but does not go through international mail channels. Prior to election day on 3 November 2026, many embassies/consulates have ballot drop-off boxes. Search the State Department website for a nearby embassy/consulate for details as to when the drop box becomes available, and the closing date for its availability. You cannot send voting materials to the U.S. embassy to be put in the drop box but rather must go drop it off yourself. Embassies and consulates are not polling places, and you cannot vote there on election day.
The U.S. Vote Foundation’s Election Dates & Deadlines for Overseas Voters page allows you to see state-specific rules about ballot requirements and deadlines. You can also track your ballot using “Where's my Absentee Ballot?”
When to use an emergency write-in ballot
If you completed all required steps and still have not received your ballot within 30 days of the election, you can still vote by completing the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB). We recommend using the online assistant tool to complete the FWAB. Some states allow you to submit a FWAB, even if you have not completed an FPCA. Check the “FWAB” section of your state using the FVAP Voting Assistance Guide to see what your state’s rules are.
If your ballot arrives after sending in your FWAB, but before election day, also fill in your ballot and send it in. The FWAB is a back-up ballot, and your local office will only count one.
Your Vote Counts
Many elections for federal, state, and local office in recent decades have been decided by a margin of victory of less than 0.1%. This means that many recent U.S. elections have been decided by a margin smaller than the number of ballots cast by military and overseas voters. All states are required to count every absentee ballot as long as the completed ballot complies with all applicable rules (such as signatures on the “security envelope”, no stray marks, etc.) and reaches local election officials by the absentee ballot receipt deadline, which varies by state.
