United States Embassy Kampala, Uganda
Message for U.S. Citizens: VOTING IN 2020 U.S. ELECTIONS
Your vote counts! Did you know that many U.S. elections for the House and Senate have been decided by a margin smaller than the number of ballots cast by absentee voters? All states are required to count every absentee ballot as long as it is valid and reaches local election officials by the absentee ballot receipt deadline.
Follow two simple steps to make sure that you can vote in the 2020 U.S. elections:
1. Register and Request Your Ballot:
Complete a Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) at FVAP.gov which serves as voter registration and request for an absentee ballot.
You must complete a new FPCA after January 1, 2020 to ensure you receive a ballot for every federal election for which you are eligible throughout the 2020 election cycle. The completion of the FPCA allows you to request absentee ballots for all elections for federal offices (President, U.S. Senate, and U.S. House of Representatives)including primaries and special elections during the calendar year in which it is submitted. All FPCA forms that are correctly filled out and include a signature and date are accepted by all local election officials in all U.S. states and territories.
2. Receive, Complete, and Return Your Ballot:
Now all U.S. citizens can receive their blank ballots electronically. Depending on the state in which you are eligible to vote, you may get your ballot by email, fax, or internet download. States are required to send out ballots 45 days before a regular election for federal office and states generally send out ballots at least 30 days before primary elections. For most states, you can confirm your registration and ballot delivery online.
Some states allow you to return your completed ballot electronically and others do not. If your state requires you to return paper voting forms or ballots to local election officials by mail, you can do so through international mail, professional courier service, or through U.S. Embassy Kampala’s diplomatic pouch.
If using the diplomatic pouch, you will need to place your ballots in postage paid return envelopes or in envelopes bearing sufficient U.S. postage for them to be delivered to the proper local election authorities. Postage from Uganda to the United States is not required using this method. Ballots can be dropped off in the white box at the entrance to U.S. Embassy Kampala on Ggaba Road. Please note that it can take at least six weeks for mail to reach its destination if sent via diplomatic pouch. All overseas U.S. citizens are advised to submit their forms and ballots accordingly.
Researching the Candidates and Issues: Online Resources. Check out the FVAP links page for helpful resources that will aid your research of candidates and issues. Non-partisan information about candidates, their voting records, and their positions on issues are widely available and easy to obtain on-line. You can also read national and hometown newspapers on-line or search the internet to locate articles and information.
For information about election dates and deadlines, subscribe to FVAP’s Voting Alerts (vote@fvap.gov). FVAP also shares Voting Alerts via Facebook (@DODFVAP), Twitter (@FVAP), and Instagram (@fvapgov). Learn more at the Federal Voting Assistance Program’s (FVAP) website, FVAP.gov.
Remember, your vote counts!
