U.S. Embassy Bucharest, Romania
August 17, 2020
Overseas Voting Message
Registering to vote and submitting a ballot is fast, easy, and can be done from anywhere in the world!
In order to vote in the November 2020 elections, all overseas U.S. citizens need to have completed a Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) in 2020. 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.
Follow a few simple steps to vote in the 2020 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 or by fax so please verify the voting options for your state at https://www.fvap.gov/guide. 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 Bucharest’s diplomatic pouch.
Note on diplomatic pouch: Please be aware that COVID-19 travel disruptions have impacted the Embassy’s current pouch operations, which could delay the arrival of your ballot. The Embassy will accept ballots by mail or by drop-off in a Voting Ballot Drop-Box located at the Consular Section entrance. This Voting Ballot Drop-Box will be available from 08:00-12:00 and 13:00-16:00 Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. The Embassy will date-stamp voting materials upon receipt.
In order to mail election-related materials to the Embassy or drop them off for inclusion in the diplomatic pouch, you will need two envelopes. Address the first envelope to the U.S. Embassy at the mailing address below. Address the second envelope to your local state election office and enclose your FPCA or ballot inside. The second envelope needs to be postage-paid or have sufficient U.S. postage to be delivered to your local election office from the U.S. sorting facility where it will be mailed. Seal the second envelope, place it inside the first envelope, and mail the package to the U.S. Embassy or utilize the Voting Ballot Drop-Box option. It can take several weeks for election-related materials to reach their final destination in the United States. We cannot provide postage for the ballot envelopes. You can print a postage paid envelope using the template from the website of the Federal Voting Assistance Program, FVAP.gov, under “Election Forms and Materials.”
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 U.S. Embassy Bucharest’s Voting Assistance Officer at AcsBucharest@state.gov.
Remember, your vote counts!
Source: https://www.fvap.gov/covid-19
Assistance:
U.S. Embassy Bucharest, Romania
B-dul Dr. Liviu Librescu, nr 4-6
Section 1, 014118, Bucuresti
+40-21-270-6000
Email: AcsBucharest@state.gov
Embassy website: ro.usembassy.gov
State Department – Consular Affairs
888-407-4747 or 202-501-4444
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