3. Why should I send in an FPCA form for overseas voters instead of the absentee ballot request form for in-state voters?

We strongly recommend that all overseas voters submit the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) form to let your Local Election Official know you are now living outside the US. The FPCA is only one page and takes only a few minutes to fill out and send in. It acts like an address update, which voters are required to provide, BUT it also provides significant advantages that are only available to overseas voters: 

1. An FPCA form, sent in the calendar year of an election, protects your ballot at the federal level in case of a recount. (A ballot that doesn’t have a corresponding FPCA form may be subject to challenge in a close election);
   
   
2. You will receive a ballot for every election in that calendar year, including primaries, special elections and runoff elections. (Many states require voters who wish to vote absentee to submit a form for every single election if using the regular state form);
   
   
3. You can request your ballot be sent to you via email, fax or online instead of postal mail;
   
   
4. Your state must send your ballot to you at least 45 days before the election;
   
   
5. If you don’t receive your ballot in time to send it in by the deadline, you can use the Backup Ballot (the Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot or FWAB) to vote. (For more information about using a Backup Ballot, see: "What is the Backup Ballot and how do I use it?"); and,
   
   
6. Many states allow overseas voters additional time to submit their ballots and/or allow overseas voters to submit ballots via electronic means.

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