Absentee ballots provide a way to vote for the president of the United States even if you aren’t able to get to your polling location. In an effort to ensure the highest possible voter turnout, the United States government allows citizens to submit their vote through an absentee ballot. Will you be out of the country on Election Day, Tuesday November 8, 2016? You still have the opportunity to make your vote count by turning in an absentee ballot. For American citizens who are overseas at the time of the presidential election, the Uniformed and Overseas Absentee Voting Act applies. If you fall into this category, you are eligible to receive assistance from the Federal Assistance Program in order to make sure your vote is properly submitted.

If you’re not going to be out of the United States, but will not be able to make it to your polling location, you may still be able to make use of an absentee ballot. The rules regarding submitting an absentee ballot vary depending on what part of the United States in which you live. Most states allow the option of sending your absentee ballot in by mail. There are a few that require it to be delivered in person, and several that actually allow for faxing or emailing ballots.

If you won’t be in the United States on Election Day 2016, November 8th, we can help you figure out how to vote via absentee ballot.

The answer to this question varies depending on your state of residence. Twenty states allow citizens to return an absentee ballot for any reason, while the others require an excuse. Oregon, Washington, New Jersey, and Delaware will only accept absentee ballots via mail, while a few others require that they be delivered in person. All of the remaining states will accept absentee ballots through either method. A full two-thirds of states permit early voting in presidential elections in order to ensure that each citizen has enough time to place their vote before election day.

If you can’t make it to the polls on Tuesday, November 8, 2016, but did not turn in your absentee ballot, you have another option. You can still unofficially cast your vote for president online.  

Simply click on the large red, white and blue VOTE button in the upper right hand corner of this page. Doing so will take you to the next page where you can vote for the candidate of your choosing. Don’t forget to hit “VOTE” once you’re done!