Media Note
Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
August 27, 2012

The Department of State encourages all U.S. citizens overseas to vote, and offers non-partisan assistance online and through our embassies and consulates around the world.

U.S. citizens can now request their blank ballots electronically. Depending on your state or county, you can get your ballot by email, fax, or internet download. To start, U.S. citizens should go to www.FVAP.gov to fill out a new Federal Post Card Applications (FPCA). Even U.S. citizens who are already registered to vote or who have voted in previous elections should complete new FPCAs in 2012 to ensure they receive their ballot via the fastest delivery method possible.

The registration process for overseas voters has changed in many states this election cycle. Deadlines and eligibility rules for voting in state and local elections vary by state and are rapidly approaching, with some deadlines less than a month away. Additional information about absentee voting for U.S. citizens abroad can be found online at www.FVAP.gov or travel.state.gov.

The State Department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs will be available live during a twitter Q&A with @TravelGov on August 28 at 9 a.m. EDT to answer questions about how to vote while abroad. Representatives from the Office of Overseas Citizens Services and the Federal Voting Assistance Program will be on hand to answer questions about registering to vote and submitting a ballot from overseas.

U.S. Citizens are encouraged to submit questions in advance to @TravelGov, using the hashtag #AskState. Questions may also be tweeted live during the Q&A.

This effort supports the Department’s 21st Century Statecraft efforts, complementing traditional foreign policy by harnessing the digital networks and technologies of an interconnected world.