I don’t need to tell you that there’s a monumental presidential election taking place next month, on Tuesday, November 8. I also don’t need to tell you that’s imperative that you vote, so if you’re not already registered, make sure to get on it as soon as possible. Most filing deadlines are 30 days prior to the election!
As this is a travel site, this week I want to offer help to travelers and citizens who will be outside the country on Election Day and aren’t sure how to cast their ballots. VotefromAbroad.org is an online resource designed for just these kinds of people, with links, walk-throughs and FAQs all meant to empower the constitutional right and responsibility to vote. In summary, if you’ll be outside the US on the big day, you’ll need to:
- Be registered to vote (or if you’re not already, register to vote)
- Mail in an absentee request form or request one online at FVAP.gov, which has state-specific instructions
- Download your ballot, put it in an envelope and mail it in
It’s slightly more complicated than that, but as Nomadic Matt notes in his helpful guide, it’s much easier to vote from abroad than it’s been in past years. And VotefromAbroad.org has help. I have a feeling this election will have the highest voter turnout ever, and you don’t want to be that person that didn’t get out and vote. Being out of the country is no longer an excuse!
Here are some more voting-related resources for traveling Americans:
Good to know: US citizens living outside of the US are only permitted to register and vote in the state and county where they last established residence (domicile) in the US before moving outside of the country.