Elections
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 U.S. elections.
1. 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 FVAP.gov to connect to your state’s voter portal to register to vote, request a ballot, and more.
2. 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 FPCA allows you to register and request an absentee ballot 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 are accepted by all local election officials in every U.S. state and territory. FVAP’s online assistant can help you complete the FPCA. If you need to check the status of your FPCA, contact your local election office.
We suggest that you select the option to receive your ballot electronically when available.
3. 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.
4. 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, a professional courier service, or the U.S. Embassy in Seoul. You will need to place your ballots in a postage paid labeled envelope before submitting them at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul.
It can take up to two weeks for mail to reach its destination if sent by the Embassy via diplomatic pouch. All overseas U.S. citizens are advised to submit their forms and ballots accordingly.
How do I drop off my ballot at the Embassy/Consulate?
This link (PDF-127KB) has information on how to prepare election materials to be mailed along with the necessary postage-paid label available to print.
By Mail: To mail election-related materials to the United States, you will need two envelopes:
(1) Address the first (outer) envelope to the U.S. Embassy Seoul at mailing address:
188 Sejong-daero, Jongno-gu, Seoul 03141
Attention: American Citizen Services (Ballot)
(2) Address the second (inner) envelope to your local state election office using the postage-paid label and enclose your ballot inside. The second (inner) envelope should have the U.S. postage-paid label affixed to be delivered to your local election office and enclose your ballot inside. Seal the second (inner) envelope, place it inside the first (outer) envelope, and mail the package to U.S. Embassy Seoul.
Normal transit time from Seoul to the United States is 7-10 business days.
Contact Information:
If you have any questions about registering to vote overseas, please contact U.S. Mission Korea’s Voting Assistance Officer at SeoulINFOACS@state.gov.
Useful Information
Who Can Vote from Overseas?
The Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) allows certain U.S. citizens to vote in absentia, including members of the U.S. Uniformed Services on active duty and their family members while away from their place of voting residence, wherever stationed, within or outside the United States.
The UOCAVA also applies to U.S. citizens residing outside the United States and its territories. These citizens may vote in the state or territory where they last resided immediately prior to departing the United States, even if many years have elapsed and the citizen maintains no residence in the state or territory and the intent to return to that state or territory may not be certain. Most states and territories permit these citizens to vote in elections for Federal offices only, although some states may send a ballot containing local, state and Federal offices.
Note that the UOCAVA provides that voting for Federal offices shall not affect the determination of the voter’s place of residence for purpose of any tax imposed under Federal, state or local law. Liability for state income tax, however, may be incurred in some states by voting absentee in state or local elections. To assess the probability of incurring state taxes on income earned outside the United States, you may wish to consult legal counsel for details.
For more information on Overseas Voting, please visit the Federal Voting Assistance Program’s website.