FAQs for Overseas Voters for Upcoming US Midterm Elections VoteFromAbroad
go to original September 12, 2022

You’re here to vote. We’re here to help. You’re a US citizen who lives abroad. You can vote. We’ve got you covered.

I live outside the US. Am I eligible to vote in US elections?

Yes! If you're a US citizen who lives outside the US, you have the right to vote in US elections as an overseas voter. It doesn’t matter if you've registered to vote in the US, have never voted in the US, or have been outside the US for a very long time.

All overseas voters are eligible to vote in federal elections, that is, for President, US Senate, and US House of Representatives. Federal elections take place every two (2) years. Overseas voters may vote in the primary as well as the general election and in any special federal elections that may be required outside of the regularly scheduled elections.

Some overseas voters are also eligible to vote in state elections (such as Governor, State Representative, or State Senator). Please see FAQs # ST-1, ST-2 & ST-3 for more information about voting in state and local elections.

VoteFromAbroad (VFA) will assist you in filling out and submitting your Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) to your Local Election Official in the US. After your FPCA is accepted, you'll receive a ballot covering every race in which you are eligible to vote for the remainder of the calendar year.

Can I vote in the midterm elections as an overseas voter?

Yes. US citizens living (or working or traveling) outside the US have the right to vote in US Federal elections. The midterm elections are federal elections that occur every two years and include all 435 seats in the US House of Representatives along with one-third of the US Senate seats.

Should I bother to vote? Will my overseas ballot be counted?

Yes, your overseas ballot will absolutely be counted! States must count every valid ballot received before the election result may be certified. When you see a race “called” for a candidate shortly after the close of polls, that’s a provisional assessment that the remaining outstanding ballots are not numerically sufficient to alter the outcome. However, the actual outcome cannot be certified until all ballots have been tallied — including ballots from overseas voters!

What is the process to vote as a US citizen living abroad?

To vote in US elections while living (or working or traveling) abroad, you need to:

• Submit the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) form to your Local Election Official in the US. This will register you to vote and request a ballot for that calendar year. If you are already registered to vote, you still need to submit the FPCA to request your absentee ballot every calendar year.
• VoteFromAbroad (VFA) will assist you in filling out and submitting your FPCA to your Local Election Official in the US.
• Wait to receive a blank absentee ballot from your Local Election Official, sent either by email, fax, website link, or postal mail.
• Fill in the ballot, then submit the voted ballot to your Local Election Official by the deadline. Depending on your state, you may be able to submit the voted ballot by email, fax, or online upload. Postal mail is accepted in all states.

Still have questions? Contact our team at VoteFromAbroad.org

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