Public Services
Voting FAQs
Can I vote absentee?
Generally, all U.S. citizens 18 years or older who are or will be residing outside the United States during an election period are eligible to vote absentee in any election for Federal office.
How do I apply for an absentee ballot?
The Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) is accepted by all states and territories as an application for registration and for an absentee ballot. You may also send a written request for a ballot to your county, city, town or parish clerk. The on-line version of the FPCA (OFPCA) is available at www.fvap.gov. The on-line version must be completed, printed out, signed, dated and mailed to your Local Election Official. All States and Territories, with the exception of American Samoa, Guam, and Ohio accept the OFPCA.
I would like to vote but don't know how. Where can I find assistance?
Specific information on applying for absentee registration and a ballot is contained in the Voting Assistance Guide, which is available at U.S. Embassy Dar es Salaam and on-line at www.fvap.gov. Overseas citizens can request a hard copy of the Voting Assistance Guide by contacting the Federal Voting Assistance Program directly at vote@fvap.ncr.gov. In addition, the U.S. Embassy in Dar has a Voting Assistance Officer, Stephanie Acosta-Mikulasek (266-8001, ext. 4318), available to answer questions and provide voting materials.
Do I have to be registered to vote absentee?
Registration requirements vary from state to state. States and territories allow the citizen to register and request an absentee ballot by submitting a single FPCA during the election year. If you are permanently registered you should submit an FPCA early in the election year.
Must I submit a separate application for each election?
In all states and territories, one FPCA will secure for the applicant both primary and general election ballots for Federal offices for an entire calendar year.
If I am required to have my FPCA or ballot notarized, how do I do it?
Generally, election materials may be witnessed or sworn to before a U.S. consular officer authorized to administer oaths. Most states and territories do not require notarization of the FPCA or ballot; therefore, consult the Voting Assistance Guide to determine your state or territory's requirements. In all instances you must sign and date the FPCA.
When mailing an FPCA or other election materials to my state or territory, do I have to pay postage?
Generally, all election-related materials are mailed postage free from all U.S. embassies and consulates. You must pay postage if the materials are mailed from a non-U.S. postal facility. The on-line version of the FPCA must be printed out, signed, dated and mailed in an envelope with proper postage affixed.
If I do not maintain a legal residence in the U.S., what is my "legal state of residence?"
Your "legal state of residence" for voting purposes is the state or territory where you last resided immediately prior to your departure from the United States. This right extends to overseas citizens even though they may not have property or other ties in their last state or territory of residence and their intent to return to that state or territory may be uncertain. When completing the residence section of the FPCA, be sure to enter the entire mailing address of your last residence, including street or rural route and number. This information is necessary to place you in the proper voting district, ward, precinct or parish. Family members of citizens residing overseas, who are U.S. citizens and who have never resided in the U.S., usually, if the state allows, claim one of their U.S. citizen parent's legal state or territory of residence as their own.
Will I be taxed by my last state or territory of residence if I vote absentee?
Exercising your right to vote in elections for Federal offices only, does not affect the determination of residence or domicile for purposes of any tax imposed under Federal, state, or local law. Voting in an election for Federal office only, may not be used as the sole basis to determine residency for the purpose of imposing state and local taxes. If you claim a particular state or territory as your residence and have other ties with that state or territory in addition to voting, then you may be liable for state and local taxation, depending upon the laws of that particular state or territory.
Can I register or vote in person at the embassy or consulate?
At the present time, there are no provisions for in-person voting or on-site registration to be conducted at U.S. embassies or consulates. Consular officials will assist U.S. citizens in completing FPCA forms for their state, witness or notarize FPCA forms and ballots (if required), and provide other absentee voting information. U.S. embassy and consulate locations serve also as a mailing point where FPCA forms and other election materials may be mailed back, postage paid, to your local voting jurisdiction in the U.S. where absentee registration and ballot requests are processed.