American Citizens Services

Warden Message: Sending Your Ballot

HAVEN'T YET MAILED YOUR BALLOT?

Although the U.S. Embassy can mail your ballot free of charge, it is too late to guarantee arrival by November 4. Voters who have not yet mailed their absentee ballots should consider alternate means including express courier. It is now too close to Election Day to take advantage of the free express courier services previously offered.

There are also several states where the ballot need only be postmarked by November 3 or 4. Such ballots can be dropped off at the Consulate for mailing up to the postmark deadline date. The list of these states appears below. Also please note that there are several states which will accept ballots by fax or e-mail until November 4. The lists of these states also appear below. If you fax or e-mail your ballot, please note that you will no longer have a secret ballot.

The following is the list of jurisdictions with postmark deadlines, which are November 4 unless otherwise noted. The date by which the ballot must be received appears in parentheses. For New York and Wisconsin, there are different deadlines for members of the military and civilians living overseas. For Wisconsin, only members of the military overseas have a postmark deadline; civilians living overseas must arrange for the ballots to arrive on or before November 4.

Alaska (November 18)
Arkansas (November 14, 5pm)
District of Columbia (November 14)
Florida (November 14, 7pm)
Georgia (November 7)
Illinois, postmarked by Nov. 3 (November 18)
Iowa, postmarked by Nov. 3 (November 10, 12 noon)
Maryland (November 14, 10 am)
Massachusetts (November 14)
New York, Military, postmarked by Nov. 3 (November 17)
New York, Overseas Citizens, postmarked by Nov. 3 (November 11)
North Dakota (November 7)
Ohio (November 14)
Pennsylvania, postmarked by Nov. 3 (November 11)
Texas (November 10)
Utah, postmarked by Nov. 3 (November 18, 12 noon)
Virgin Islands (November 14)
Washington, oath signed/dated by Nov. 4 (November 25)
Wisconsin, Military, (November 14, 5 pm)

Jurisdictions which accept ballots by fax:

Alaska
Arizona
California
Colorado
District of Columbia
Indiana
Kansas
Louisiana
Mississippi
Missouri (with special declaration)
New Jersey
New Mexico
North Dakota
Rhode Island
South Carolina
Virgin Islands

Jurisdictions which accept ballots by e-mail:

Colorado
District of Columbia
Indiana
Kansas
Mississippi
Missouri (with special declaration)
Montana
New Mexico
North Dakota
South Carolina
Washington (special requirements for online voting)

BALLOT HASN'T ARRIVED?

If your ballot has not arrived, use the Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot (FWAB). The FWAB serves as an emergency ballot for voters who registered in time but fail to receive an official ballot from local election officials. The FWAB is available at www.fvap.gov or from any U.S. Embassy or Consulate.

If your regular state ballot arrives after you have mailed the FWAB, complete and mail the state ballot as well.

 

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This message is published by the American Citizens Services Unit, U.S. Consulate General, Hong Kong, Tel: 2841-2211, 2841-2323, 2841-2225; Fax: 2845-4845; e-mail: acshk@state.gov; website: http://hongkong.usconsulate.gov; All services by online appointment only.

 

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Last modified: October 30, 2008