Absentee ballots will be on their way in less than a month, but it’s not too late to register and request yours.
The deadline to get registered and request your ballot for November 3 using the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) depends on your state of residency. Here are a few ways to get prepared:
- Check your state’s specific deadlines.
- Add election dates and reminders to your calendar.
- Check the map below to see if your state allows you to send in your FPCA electronically to avoid mail delays.
- No state has a registration deadline longer than 30 days – so act now!
* California and Wisconsin – To register to vote, voter must mail or fax the FPCA. If already registered, voter can request a ballot by email, mail, or fax.
* Idaho, Florida, Maryland, and South Dakota – To register to vote, voter must mail the FPCA. If already registered to vote, voter can request a ballot by email, mail, or fax.
* New York – If voter emails or faxes the FPCA, voter must also mail the FPCA.
* Texas – Timely faxed FPCA must be followed by a hardcopy mailed FPCA that must be received by the early voting clerk by the fourth business day after the fax.
| Register and request an absentee ballot today. |
Register to vote and request your absentee ballot at FVAP.gov now for this year’s elections:
The following states have elections in the next 90 days:
P- Presidential Primary; S- State Primary; D- District Primary; T- Territory Primary
** Denotes a recent change in date
Note: This information is current as of September 1, 2020. Election dates marked with an asterisk are updated and state-verified. As further changes may occur, please check the election calendars and state pages at FVAP.gov for real-time information.
September 2020:
September 1: Massachusetts (S)
September 8: New Hampshire (S); Rhode Island (S)
September 15: Delaware (S)
October 2020 – 30 Day Notice:
There are currently no scheduled elections for federal office in October 2020
November 2020 – 60 Day Notice:
November 3: General Election
December 2020 – 90 Day Notice:
December 1: Arkansas (General Election Runoff)
December 5: Louisiana (General Election Runoff)
COVID-19 ELECTION UPDATE – FVAP is working closely with state election offices, the Military Postal Service Agency and other federal agencies to bring you up-to-date information on state election changes and mailing delays. Please visit FVAP.gov/COVID-19 for the latest information on any international postal disruptions or contact your installation military post office.
Here are some important things to remember:
- Submitting your Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) early is the best way to help ensure the absentee voting process goes as smoothly as possible.
- The FPCA provides you, as Service members, and your eligible family members as well as any overseas citizens with an option to request your blank ballots be delivered to you electronically.
- Submitting the FPCA allows you to use the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB) as a backup ballot, if needed.
To register to vote and request your ballot, fill out the FPCA using FVAP’s easy online assistant. You may also use the fillable PDF or pick up a hard copy version from a Voting Assistance Officer on your installation or at the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate’s American Citizen Services Office.
FVAP recommends that all military members and their eligible family members, as well as U.S. citizens overseas, who are currently away from their voting jurisdictions or who have recently changed their address send in a new FPCA as soon as possible to ensure receipt of absentee ballots for all federal office elections in this election year.
To find your state’s election website for specific information on candidates, elections, contact information, and links to your local election offices, visit our contact page. You can also reach out directly to your election office for status updates on your registration and absentee ballot.
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If you would like more information on the Federal Voting Assistance Program, or need help with the absentee voting process, please go to FVAP.gov or call 703-588-1584 (toll free 1-800-438-VOTE or DSN 425-1584) or email (vote@fvap.gov).
