Location: U.S. Embassy, Ouagadougou
Event: Absentee Voting in the 2022 Midterm Election
The 2022 Midterm elections will be held in the United States on Tuesday, November 8, 2022. If you are outside of the United States, you may still be able to vote; but you must start now!
· Registration Deadline (via mail, email, or fax): Must be received by October 18, 2022.
· Ballot Request Deadline: Must be received by November 5, 2022.
· Ballot Return Deadline (via email or fax): Must be received by November 8, 2022.
· Ballot Return Deadline (via mail): Must be received by November 15, 2022.
Start by confirming your voter registration with your state. Some states require absentee voters to register annually, so you may need to re-register. Go to FVAP.gov to connect to your state’s voter portal to register to vote, request a ballot, and more.
Once you confirm your registration, follow a few simple steps to vote in the 2022 elections:
· Request your ballot: Most states provide the option to request ballots through their state election portals, which you can easily access via FVAP.gov. You can also choose to complete a Federal Post Card Application (FPCA). FPCA forms that are correctly filled out and include a signature and date are accepted by all local election officials in every U.S. state and territory. We encourage you to select the option for receiving your ballot electronically (by email or internet download) when available. This is the fastest way for you to get your ballot and ensures you have it in time to return a completed form before your state’s deadline.
· Receive and complete your ballot: 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. Most states allow you to confirm your ballot delivery online.
· Return your completed, signed ballot: 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 Ouagadougou’s diplomatic pouch. The diplomatic pouch provides free mail service to a U.S. sorting facility, and you can print out a postage-free envelope on the FVAP website. Please contact us at OuagaACS@state.gov to schedule an appointment to drop off your ballot. Please note that it can take up to four weeks for mail to reach its destination if sent by an embassy or consulate via diplomatic pouch.
Learn more at the Federal Voting Assistance Program’s (FVAP) website, FVAP.gov. If you have any questions about registering to vote overseas, please contact us at OuagaACS@state.gov.
