If you are a U.S. citizen in Burkina Faso who is planning to vote in the November 2020 U.S. elections, you should send a completed Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) to your local election officials immediately.
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 2020 U.S. 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. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, voting documents can only be dropped off by appointment. Please contact us at consularouaga@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 U.S. Embassy Ouagadougou’s Voting Assistance Officer at consularouaga@state.gov.