2023 Voting Assistance Guide

1 2022-23 Voting Assistance GuideAssistance for citizens covered by the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) (52 Code 203) Publication ID# VAG 22-23 The 2022-23 Voting Assistance Guide ( Guide ) was prepared by the Federal Voting Assistance Program with the Assistance of the Secretaries of State, Directors of Elections and their staff, the Uniformed Service branches and the Department of State. Information and procedures in the Guide are current as of October 2021 and may be affected by changes to Federal and state law. Check for updates and for information on how to get updated information. We want your feedback! If this book was helpful to you, if you ran into problems, or have questions, please email or mail: Federal Voting Assistance Program, 4800 Mark Center Dr., Ste 05E22; Alexandria, VA Voting Assistance Guide (current as of 10/2021)1 This page intentionally left Voting Assistance Guide (current as of 9/2015)12 Dear Voting Assistance Guide User:Welcome to the 2022-202 Voting Assistance Guide ( Guide ).

2 The Guide , published every two years and continually updated online, is a catalog of the state-specific processes and regulations that military and overseas voters should follow to successfully register to vote and cast an absentee ballot. FVAP produces this important resource for each election cycle, as it often serves as a single source of information for both Voting Assistance Officers and voters. It contains all of the essential steps Uniformed Service members, their eligible family members, and overseas citizens should take to complete the absentee Voting process. FVAP worked closely with state election officials through several rounds of coordination to put this volume together and we cannot accomplish this without their collaboration and valuable input. For the 2022 election year, this Guide reflects our continued focus on federal election eligibility and our consistent effort to streamline content to better support our Voting Assistance Officers who, in return, support our voters.

3 For Uniformed Service members, their families and, overseas citizens, our goal is to provide resources that will make Voting absentee as easy as possible. The use of the Federal Post Card Application is a critical piece to ensure the voters we serve are able to leverage full Voting protections authorized under federal law regardless of duty station or distance from home. Taking action early also ensures access to our Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot as a backup ballot should your official ballot not arrive from your election remains committed to providing the best Voting Assistance possible to the members of our military, their families, and overseas citizens and encourage you to leverage support so you can focus on your core responsibilities. We look forward to continuing to serve our voters and offering the best support we can for all federal elections in ,David BeirneDirector, Federal Voting Assistance Program2022-2023 Voting Assistance Guide (current as of 10/2021)3 This page intentionally left Voting Assistance Guide (current as of 9/2015)14 Table of contentsChapter 1 How to vote absentee.

4 7 Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) .. 11 Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB) .. 16 Transmission Cover SheetChapter 2 Absentee Voting procedures .. 25 by State or territoryChapter 3 Guide for Voting Assistance Officers 449 Appendix .. 2022 Primary Election Dates Handout Embassy and Consulate Email Addresses HandoutInside front cover: Service Voting Action Officers contact informationInside back cover: International toll-free phone and fax numbers.. 23. 461 Frequently Asked Questions Handout .. 463.. 469.. 4712022-2023 Voting Assistance Guide (current as of 10/2021)5 This page intentionally left Voting Assistance Guide (current as of 9/2015)16 Chapter 12022-2023 Voting Assistance Guide (current as of 01/2022) Chapter 1 How to vote absenteeTo vote in a election, on the day of the election you must:be a citizenbe 18 years oldbe absent from your Voting residenceVoting absentee?

5 The absentee Voting process in this Guide applies to you if you are:an active duty member of the Uniformed Services, Merchant Marine, commissioned corps of the Public Health Service, or the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration;an eligible spouse or family member of an active duty member of the Uniformed Services, Merchant Marine, commissioned corps of the Public Health Service, or the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; ora citizen residing outside the Guide may also apply to you if you are:a member of the National Guard activated on State orders, in some state requirements in Chapter 2 Absentee Voting procedures by State or Guide does NOT apply to you if:you are located at your Voting residence on election vote locally, contact your election office, visit or complete a National voter Registration Form (NVRF). The NVRF may also be obtained from your Installation voter Assistance Office (IVA Office), or from the Election Assistance Commission website ( ).

6 Contact your state election office or website for more information. See Chapter 2 Absentee Voting procedures by state or territory for contact 12022-2023 Voting Assistance Guide (current as of 01/2022) How often should I complete an FPCA? To ensure you continue to receive absentee ballots during your time away from your Voting residence, be sure to submit a new FPCA every January, each time you move, or at least 90 days prior to the election you want to vote do I know what information must be included in the FPCA? Chapter 2 of the Voting Assistance Guide provides instructions for each state and territory for completing and transmitting the FPCA. How do you vote absentee?There are three steps to Voting absentee in an election:Step 1: Register and request your absentee ballot using the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA)Under federal law, Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA), the FPCA registers you to vote and requests absentee ballots for a minimum of all federal elections in the current calendar get an FPCAO nline version:Use the online assistant at to complete your FPCA.

7 The online assistant uses your state's requirements as you go through the process of completing the form. Once you have finished, download the PDF package, print, sign, and to download the fillable FPCA. Complete it using your state's requirements listed in Chapter 2 of the Voting Assistance Guide . Then print, sign, and : You will need to have your own envelope to send your completed FPCA by mail. Envelope templates are available to download online at version:Get a hardcopy FPCA from a Voting Assistance Officer (VAO), at an Installation voter Assistance (IVA) Office at any military installation, or at a embassy or a copy of the FPCA found in Chapter 1 or the Appendix of the Voting Assistance your completed and signed FPCA to your election find your state transmission methods, see state requirements in Chapter 2 Absentee Voting procedures by state or territory.

8 Step 2: Receive your absentee ballotYour election official will process your FPCA to determine the appropriate ballot to send you. If you have questions about the status of your FPCA, contact your local election office directly. Your local election official will contact you if your application is denied or if they need additional information from you in order to process your officials are required to send absentee ballots no later than 45 days before an election for those who are registered and have requested a ballot. If you submit your FPCA within 45 days of the election, they will send your ballot as soon as possible, upon processing your 12022-2023 Voting Assistance Guide (current as of 01/2022)All states must allow you to receive your blank absentee ballot electronically, when requested. This may include email, fax, or online 12022-2023 Voting Assistance Guide (current as of 01/2022) What if I do not receive my absentee ballot and the election is 30 days away?

9 If you do not receive your state absentee ballot 30 days before the election, use the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB). Information about the FWAB can be found in Chapter 1 and in your state's pages in Chapter do I do if I don't know all the candidates running for office when completing the FWAB? You can write in party affiliation - name misspellings are okay. Step 3a: Return your voted state ballotVote and return your state absentee ballot as soon as you receive it with special attention to the specific methods of return authorized in your state. Follow the instructions sent with your ballot to mark and return your ballot with special attention to whether or not state requires the use of a secrecy envelope for your voted the deadline. The date when your election office must receive your completed ballot is set by each state requirements in Chapter 2 Absentee Voting procedures by state or territory.

10 Step 3b: If you do not receive your state ballotIf you do not receive your state absentee ballot in time to return it to your election office by the state deadline, use the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB).The FWAB serves as a backup ballot for voters covered by UOCAVA. The FWAB can be used in all states and territories to vote for federal offices (President/Vice President, Senate, Representative and Delegate or Resident Commissioner). Some states allow the FWAB to be used to vote for state and local offices, ballot questions, and state requirements in Chapter 2 Absentee Voting procedures by state or get a FWABO nline version:Use the online assistant at to complete the FWAB. The online assistant uses your state's requirements as you go through the process of completing the FWAB. Then, download the PDF package, print, sign, and to download the fillable FWAB.