Almost all U.S. citizens 18 years or older who reside outside the United States are eligible to vote absentee for candidates for federal offices in U.S. primary and general elections. In addition, some states allow overseas citizens to vote for candidates for state and local offices, as well as for state and local referendums. For information regarding your specific state, visit the Federal Voting Assistance Program’s Voting Assistance Guide or the Overseas Vote Foundation website. The Overseas Vote Foundation is a non-partisan voter advocacy organization.

ABSENTEE VOTING INFORMATION FOR U.S. CITIZENS ABROAD

All U.S. citizens can receive their blank ballots electronically. Depending on the state in which you are eligible to vote, you may receive your ballot by email, fax, or internet download. To start, go to www.FVAP.gov to complete a new Federal Post Card Application (FPCA), print and sign the form then return it to your local election office in the United States, whose address is included in the FVAP Web site.

We recommend overseas U.S. citizens get in the habit of completing FPCAs every year. You should include your email address on the form so it’s easier for your election officials to reach you if there is a problem. Note that some states deliver ballots by fax only, so be sure to include your fax number. If you request electronic delivery and include your email address or fax number, you’ll receive your blank ballot 45 days before general and mid-term elections and generally 30 days before special, primary, and run-off elections for federal offices. Most states now have voter registration verification websites, and many offer a means of tracking the status of your registration and ballot.

IMPORTANT NOTE: States are no longer required to automatically send ballots to voters for an entire election cycle so everyone who wants to vote in U.S. elections from overseas should send in a new Federal Post Card Application in January of each year. 

For more information please visit the State Department Absentee Voting Information for U.S. Citizens Abroad webpage.

The Voting Assistance Officers at the U.S. Embassy in Rome and the Consulates General in Florence, Milan and Naples are available to answer questions about absentee voting.

To contact the Voting Assistance Officers, call the Consular Section nearest you, or send an e-mail to:

• USCitizensRome@state.gov for the Consular District of Rome,
• USCitizensMilan@state.gov for the Consular District of Milan,
• USCitizensNaples@state.gov for the Consular District of Naples and
• USCitizensFlorence@state.gov for the Consular District of Florence.