July 4th Voting Message
Celebrate democracy this 4th of July by taking the necessary steps to vote in the 2022 U.S. elections!
In order to vote in the November 2022 elections, all overseas U.S. citizens need to have completed a Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) in 2022. Whether you are a first-time voter or have already received ballots and voted absentee in past elections, you must complete an FPCA each year to participate in elections as an overseas absentee voter.
Registering to Vote and submitting a ballot is fast, easy, and can be done from anywhere in the world! Follow a few simple steps to vote in the 2022 U.S. elections:
- Register to vote: 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 gov to connect to your state’s voter portal to register to vote, request a ballot, and more.
- 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). 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. 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. FVAP’s easy online assistant can assist you with completing the FPCA.
Whether you request your ballot through your state’s portal or the FPCA, we encourage you to select the option to receive your ballot electronically (by email, internet download, or fax) when available. This is the fastest way 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. 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. AIT can also send it for you if you follow these instructions:
- Place your ballot requests or voted ballots in “postage paid” return envelopes (click here to create envelope) or in envelopes bearing sufficient domestic U.S. postage, and address them to the relevant local election officials. Drop the envelopes off at AIT’s American Citizen Services Unit every Thursday from 2 to 3 pm, and we will send it back home for you without the need to pay international postage.
- You can also drop off your FPCA or voted ballot in person: at AIT Taipei, you may use the Absentee Ballot Box placed inside AIT’s consular entrance on Jinhu Road, from 8am to 4pm, Monday through Friday. At the AIT Kaohsiung branch office, you may use the Absentee Ballot Box on the 5th floor of the China Steel Building on 88 Chenggong Second Road, from 9am to 4pm, Monday through Friday.
- If you can’t visit AIT in person, you can mail the “postage paid” return envelopes (click here to create envelope ) or envelopes bearing sufficient domestic U.S. postage that are addressed to local election officials and contain your ballot request or voted ballot to “American Citizen Services Unit, American Institute in Taiwan, 100 Jinhu Road, Neihu Dist., Taipei, 11461”. Please note that AIT will not confirm receipt. It takes approximately three weeks for voting materials to reach local election officials. Please plan accordingly.
Researching the Candidates and Issues: Online Resources. Go to the FVAP links page for helpful resources to 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 online. You can also read national and hometown newspapers online, 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. If you
have any questions about registering to vote overseas, please contact AIT’s Voting Assistance
Officer at VoteTaipei@state.gov.
Remember, your vote counts!