Military/Overseas Voters

UNIFORMED AND OVERSEAS ABSENTEE VOTING ACT

The Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) allows absent U.S. military citizens and overseas civilian citizens to register and vote by mail ballot in all elections. 

UOCAVA applies to:

• U.S. Citizens who are members of the Uniformed Services on active duty.
• Their family members.
• U.S. citizens residing outside the territorial limits of the U.S. (including Canada and Mexico).

UOCAVA provides an official post card form, called the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA), containing both an absentee voter registration application and an absentee ballot application.

REGISTERING AND REQUESTING A MAIL BALLOT

Federal Post Card Application (FPCA):

The Federal Post Card Application is the form that permits UOCAVA citizens to simultaneously register and request absentee ballots in the state or territory where they last resided immediately prior to departing the United States, even if they no longer maintain a residence in that state.

1. To register and request an absentee ballot in the State of Florida:
   Send a completed FPCA to the Supervisor of Elections office so that it arrives not later than 29 days before the election. 
   
   • If you maintain a Florida residence, you will receive a ballot containing all local, state, and federal races for which you are eligible to vote.
   • If you are or were a registered voter and no longer maintain a Florida residence but you intend to return, you will receive a ballot with all state and federal races.
   • If you were never registered in Florida and no longer maintain a Florida residence but this is the last place you lived, you will receive a ballot for federal races only.
2. If you are already registered in Pinellas County and you wish to request absentee ballots, send the completed FPCA to the Supervisor of Elections office so that it arrives not later than the Friday before the election. Alternatively, you may use any of the regular means of requesting mail ballots.
3. An FPCA application for an absentee ballot is effective for all elections through the calendar year of the second regularly scheduled general election.
4. The FPCA does not require postage if mailed in the U.S. postal system, including all U.S. military post offices (APO/FPO) overseas as well as diplomatic pouches.

NOTE: BALLOTS ARE NOT FORWARDABLE - Be sure to provide your current mailing address

To request or complete a Federal Post Card Application online, click on this link and select "Fillable FPCA."

Late Registration:

If you or a family member has been discharged or separated from the Uniformed Services or the United States Merchant Marine, has returned from a military deployment or activation, or has separated from employment outside the territorial limits of the United States after the voter registration deadline for an election, you may register to vote in such election until 5 p.m. on the Friday before that election in the office of the Supervisor of Elections.

Mailed Ballots:

If you reside outside the U.S., or you are an absent uniformed services voter, your ballot will be mailed at least 45 days before an election.

Electronic Transmission of Ballots:

If you are an overseas voter, or are an absent uniformed services voter, you may request to receive your ballots by fax or e-mail. Your request must include:

1. Your Name
2. Your date of birth
3. Your county of residence
4. One of the following:
   • a return fax number if the ballot is to be faxed
   • an APO/FPO or other deliverable overseas address if the ballot is to be mailed
   • an e-mail address if the ballot is to be electronically mailed
5. Your signature (faxed request only)
   • If you want your ballot to be faxed, your request is valid only for the upcoming election or the one election you specify.

State Write-In Ballot:

Overseas voters who cannot be reached to deliver an absentee ballot in time for the general election may request a state write-in ballot not earlier than 180 days before an election. Your request must state that due to military or other contingencies that preclude normal mail delivery, you cannot vote an absentee ballot during the normal absentee period.

State write-in ballots will be mailed between 90 and 180 days prior to the general election.

Federal Write-In Ballot:

The Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot is a back-up ballot that may be used for all elections if all of these conditions apply:

1.       You are a registered voter, eligible to vote in this election;

2.       You are a member of the Uniformed Services or merchant marine on active duty or an eligible spouse or dependent of such a member who is absent from your voting precinct on Election Day, or you are a U.S. citizen residing outside the territorial limits of the U.S;

3.   You have requested a regular absentee ballot in time to be received by the state deadline, which is 6 days prior to the election; and

4.       You have not received the requested regular ballot.

To request or complete a Federal Write-In Ballot online, click on this link and select "Fillable FWAB." 

Check your ballot status online

Returning Your Ballot

CASTING YOUR BALLOT:

You may return your voted ballot by mail, courier, or fax. You currently cannot return your ballot via email. Please see administrative rule 1S-2.030 for details about overseas voters requesting and returning ballots. Voted ballots must be received by 7:00 p.m. Election Day.

Late Counting of Overseas Ballots:

If you are an overseas voter, your ballot will be counted if the ballot envelope is dated or postmarked not later than the day of the election and received no later than 10 days after a general election or presidential primary election.

Ballots that are returned by fax are not included in the late counting of ballots.

Uniformed And Overseas Absentee Voting Act
Registering and Requesting An Absentee Ballot
Federal Post Card Application (FPCA)
Late Registration
Mailed Ballots
Electronic Transmission of Ballots
State Write-In Ballot
Federal Write-In Ballot
Casting Your Ballot
Late Counting of Overseas Ballots

Check your ballot status online