It's Your Voice, Use It!
To some, voting may seem like just another civic duty that we have to partake in. To those people, I say voting is one of the only ways that we are able to directly influence the leaders and policies that impact our everyday lives. In a democracy, voting is one of our most powerful gifts. It gives each and every one of us the ability to choose, express, and fight for our values. It gives us each a voice and a hand in shaping our communities, our country, our world.
As I, the one writing this (and probably many of you reading it), am studying abroad and not even in the U.S. at the moment, it occurred to me that maybe I don’t need to vote in this election. I mean, I’m not even living there, and I won't be living there again for another two years, probably more. So, how much will this election really affect me? In reality, probably not that much, while I’m over here, at least. But that isn’t the point. The point is who it will affect: my mother, my best friend, my cousin, my future children; basically everyone I love lives there. Whether I ever live in the U.S. again or not, it isn’t as if I have no skin in the game.
While every election and voting opportunity is important, the upcoming 2024 U.S. presidential election seems bigger for some reason, more pivotal, more drastic. Why is that? Simply put, it perpetuated political polarization. The U.S. has experienced so much increasing polarization in recent years, with sharply divided views on issues such as immigration, abortion, voting rights, and climate change (to name a few) and pushing the Republican and Democratic parties to polar opposite ends of the spectrum. The 2024 election will set the course for how these divisions are navigated: further exacerbating these divides or fostering greater unity. Or, perhaps it’s just the first Presidential election that I’m actually old enough to vote in, which makes it more important to me.
But, it occurred to me that I have no idea how to go about casting my vote from Paris, and I likely am not the only one. With that in mind, I created and shared a short questionnaire with my fellow AUP students, and the results were quite interesting. Of the students who took this survey, 23.1% stated that they were not registered to vote; the same amount said they did not know how to register. When asked if they were voting in the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election, 46.2% stated that they were unsure of how to cast their vote from Paris. Additionally, another survey found that young people are 40% more likely to vote when they turn 18 if they are taught about elections and voting.
So, here's a simple “How To” on casting your vote from Paris. “To vote in the November 2024 election, U.S. citizens overseas need to have completed a Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) in 2024. Whether you are a first-time voter or have already received ballots and voted absentee in past elections, you must complete an FPCA each calendar year to ensure you can participate in elections as an overseas absentee voter.”
1. Register to Vote and Request Absentee Ballot
Visit the Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) website. Go to FVAP.gov to register and request an absentee ballot. Complete the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA). The FPCA is used to register to vote and request your absentee ballot at the same time. You can fill out the FPCA online, then print, sign, and send it to your local election office in the U.S. Alternatively, mail or email the completed FPCA to your state's election office, depending on your state’s specific rules. Submit the FPCA; each state has different submission deadlines, so ensure you send the FPCA early to meet the requirements. Most states recommend submitting the form at least 45 days before Election Day (i.e., by mid-September 2024).
2. Receive and Complete your Ballot
You should receive your absentee ballot at least 45 days before the election (early to mid-September 2024). If you do not receive your ballot by early October 2024, contact your local election office! Depending on the state, you may receive your ballot by mail, email, or fax. Follow the instructions carefully, including how to sign and date your ballot. If you make a mistake, reach out to your local election office for assistance. Check state-specific rules for returning the ballot. Some states allow ballots to be returned via mail, email, or fax. To return your ballot by mail, you may be required to take it to the U.S. Embassy and mail it from there; alternatively, a signed and stamped envelope may be included in the voting packet that you can simply drop off at the post office. Some states offer the option of fully completing and returning your ballot online via a secure link that will be shared with you. Ensure that you meet the return deadlines. The deadlines vary by state, but in most cases, ballots must be received by Election Day. If mailing, you might need to consider using an expedited mail service, as international shipping often takes longer. Many states allow you to track your absentee ballot through their online systems. The recommended vote-by-day for the 2024 General Election is October 21, 2024, if you're outside the U.S.
3. IF you do not receive your Absentee Ballot on time
If you don't receive your absentee ballot in time to cast your vote in the election, you can use the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB) as a backup. This is available on the FVAP website and allows you to vote even if your official absentee ballot hasn't arrived. Submit the FWAB in the same way you would submit your official ballot.
That’s it; if you have completed all of these steps, congratulations, you voted!
Check the Local Election Office Contact Information. You can find the contact details of your county's local election office in FVAP's State Election Offices Directory.
Everyone's favorite member of the Kennedy family says to get registered and "vote, vote, vote!"
Important Deadlines
Keep an eye on voting deadlines and any changes to state voting laws by checking the FVAP website or contacting your local election office.
Voter Registration to be able to vote in the 2024 Presidential Election varies by State but mostly ends 15-30 days before the election (Nov. 5th)!!
FPCA Submission Deadline: Varies by state but should be submitted at least four weeks before the election.
Absentee Ballot Submission Deadline: Ballots are generally due by Election Day, but deadlines vary by state (some may accept ballots after Election Day if postmarked correctly).
By following these steps, you'll be able to cast your vote in the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election while living abroad! Many people don’t know how to even go about voting from abroad and just assume they can’t vote since they aren’t currently in the States; you can vote from abroad, even if you have never voted before. So, get out and vote!
If you exercise the right to an opinion, a hope, or a desire...then exercise the right to vote! Start here: vote.gov !!
