Visiting and Contacting
Citizen Services
Voting Overseas
Elections in the United States are not managed by the federal government, but by election officials in individual U.S. states, cities, or other jurisdictions. Additionally, each state has its own election schedule and its own rules on how to vote and who can vote. Consequently, U.S. citizens cannot cast their ballots on Election Day at U.S. embassies, consulates, or other federal U.S. installations overseas.
Instead, voting overseas is accomplished by sending an absentee ballot to election officials in your home jurisdiction in the United States, in time for the ballot to be counted. It is your responsibility as a voter to research the absentee voting rules for your home state, and to contact your local election officials to request an absentee ballot. Advance planning is essential.
Fortunately, the website for the Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) contains a wealth of guidance about each state’s election rules, and lists contact information for local election officials around the country. You can also download the Federal Post Card Application, which you can use to register to vote and to request an absentee ballot in every jurisdiction. Some states accept the application only by regular mail; others accept faxed or emailed applications. Please see the FVAP website for details about your home state.
Once you have requested your absentee ballot, it will be delivered directly to you by mail. Some local election officials may be willing to use an express delivery service to send your ballot; others may insist on using regular international mail. Regrettably, the Embassy cannot accept delivery of your absentee ballot for you.
The Embassy can, however, mail your Federal Post Card Application to election officials through the Embassy’s mail system, at no cost to you. The Embassy can also mail your completed absentee ballot to local election officials at the cost of regular domestic U.S. postage. Please visit the Embassy’s American Citizen Services office Monday through Thursday except holidays, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon to drop off your application or ballot.
If your absentee ballot does not arrive in time for you to vote, your state may be willing to accept an emergency ballot, called the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot. This ballot also can be mailed through the Embassy’s mail system.
If you’ve never lived in the United States, and therefore don’t have a “home” state, click here for a list of states that may allow you to vote anyway.
Additional questions about voting should be sent to the American Citizen Services office at ACSBogota@state.gov.