– Your election official will process your FPCA to determine the appropriate ballot to send you.

– If you have questions about the status of your FPCA, contact your local election office directly. do so here: 

– Your local election official will contact you if your application is denied or if they need additional information from you in order to process your form.

-Election officials are required to send absentee ballots no later than 45 days before an election for those who are registered and have requested a ballot.

– If you submit your FPCA in a timely manner, upon processing your application, the Federal Voter Assistance Program will send you your ballot via email/electronically by the 45th day before the election. 

** info from https://www.fvap.gov/guide/chapter1

If all instructions were followed correctly, you should have now received and printed out the ballot. 

For most of you, this is probably one of the first paper election ballots you have filled out in your life. It’s highly recommended to view some 2020 examples from each state to give you an idea of what it will look like:

• As you can see, there are other contests for state and local senators, representatives, and commissioners on the ballot. Make sure you do your research on all candidates, not just those running for president. You should not leave any of the contests on the ballot blank.
• More on who and what will be on your state Nov 2024 ballot: here and 2024 ballot measures(check your state and what date each measure will be voted on).

Instructions to fill out and submit ballots. PLEASE read this as you do not want to make any mistakes!!

• First: Determine how you will be returning your Ballot HERE.
• Use only black or blue ink to fill out your document.
• Try to AVOID tearing, defacing, or wrongly marking anything on your ballot. You cannot use white-out on your ballot or cross one bubble out to fill another. If you do any of these, print out a new one if possible. If unable, contact both the FVAP (Federal Voting Assistance Program) and your election office immediately.
• When you receive your ballot, you should also receive instructions on how to correctly mail your ballot back to your county. The EASIEST WAY to do this: check if your nearest U.S. Embassy/Consulate accepts ballot drop-offs, either through google, or by calling.
• The FVAP provides free envelope templates to use when mailing your ballot back. **You should ask your local Consulate/Embassy if they have the correct envelopes to use. If not, you will need to print out 1) the Ballot Return Postage-Paid-Return Envelope (comes in both US and European sizes) AND 2) the Ballot Return Security Envelope.
• **Most printers allow you to print onto envelopes directly. Google the model of your printer and you should find directions on how to print the above templates onto envelopes.**
• You will place the security envelope, containing your ballot, inside the postage-paid return envelope.
• This is a list of when each state requires all ballots to be received in order to be counted. Ballot return deadlines for each state: 
• **You will not need the following info if you are dropping off your completed ballot at an American Consulate/ Embassy in your city. It is by far the easiest way to do this!** In terms of stamps/postage, your local postal office should be able to assist you on what specific stamps to use. If not, google “mailing ballots US Embassy ___” (country you are in). Those pages have information, or you can try calling the Embassy directly.
• Once all of the following has been done, you can mail your ballot. (Please check your local Embassy to ask if they can do this for you!!) Congratulations!

• Your ballot should arrive electronically from September 21 to October 6, give or take a few days due to the volume of ballots being sent overseas/ time zones

• If you have not received it by Oct 7-10, contact both the FVAP and your local election office to ask about its status.

• If for whatever reason you are unable to access your ballot by October 10, you can fill out the FWAB (Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot) to cast your vote. It acts as a makeshift ballot.  Instructions here

• Similar to the actual ballot, you will need to print, sign, and physically mail the FWAB back to your county. All mailing instructions + the Envelopes needed are under step 3, and the FWAB also must be received by your state’s ballot return deadline. You can still ask your nearest U.S. Consulate/Embassy if they accept ballot drop-offs and can mail the document for you!

• If you fill out the FWAB and your ballot arrives after, still print, fill it out, and mail it. If both the FWAB and absentee ballot are received by the deadline, only one will be counted.

• There are a few ways to do this. It is recommended to ask your Embassy, Consulate, or post office to provide package tracking information on your envelope.

• You may be able to find local or state-wide websites on the internet that can help you track your ballot as well.

• If they are unable to do so, contact your local election office closer to election day and ask if they have received your ballot, or to be notified when they do.