2012 Election Cycle - already underway

Be an active voter.  Start thinking about your participation in the U.S. 2012 elections today!

New absentee voting laws are in effect for the 2012 elections.  You will no longer automatically receive ballots based on a previous absentee ballot request.  All U.S. citizens outside the United States who want to vote by absentee ballot in the 2012 primary and general elections must complete a new Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) every year if they wish to vote from abroad.  States are now required to send out ballots 45 days before an election.  No matter what state you vote in, you can now ask your local election officials to provide your blank ballots to you electronically (by email, internet download, or fax, depending on your state).  You can now also confirm your registration and ballot delivery on-line.  Be sure to include your email address on the form to take advantage of the electronic ballot delivery option.  This is the fastest and most reliable way to receive your ballot on time, and we strongly recommend every overseas voter take advantage of it.  Learn more at the Federal Voting Assistance Program's (FVAP) website.

Beginning in January 2012, presidential primaries will be held in the states of New Hampshire (January 10), South Carolina (January 21), Florida (January 31), Missouri (February 7), Wisconsin (February 21), Arizona (February 28), and Michigan (February 28).  Other states will follow throughout the spring and summer.  Voter registration deadlines for primaries are as early as January 3, 2012.  Note:  Participation in party presidential caucuses by overseas voters is not protected by federal law and requires in-person attendance in most cases.  If the party you are affiliated with selects presidential nominees by caucus in your state, contact state party officials for further information.

You can obtain a Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) at FVAP’s website.  The FPCA is accepted by all local election officials in all U.S. states and territories.  It allows you to register to vote and request absentee ballots for all elections for federal offices (presidential and state primaries, run-off, special, and the November general elections) during the course of the year.  An online wizard will help you complete the form.  Even if your state does not have a presidential primary in the early months of 2012, it is important that you submit a new Federal Post Card Application this and every January to receive all absentee ballots for which you are eligible.  By applying early, you also allow enough time for election officials to contact you and resolve any questions or problems with your registration/ballot request.   

Depending on your state’s voting requirements, you may send the FPCA electronically or by mail to your local election officials.  To mail it, print out the completed FPCA and the (U.S.) postage-paid envelope containing the address of your local election officials.  If you bring your forms or ballots to the Embassy, we will mail them to the U.S. for you without charging for international mail.  The Embassy will place a date stamp and seal on your ballot as evidence of the date and location from which the ballot was mailed.  However, this is not a postmark.  Diplomatic pouch to the east coast takes approximately six days to reach the diplomatic pouch facility near Washington, D.C. Processing and onward delivery by the U.S. Postal Service to local election officials across the U.S. can take up to a week.  If you prefer to use the international postal system, be sure to affix sufficient postage and allow enough time for international mail delivery from Poland. 

Remember that your vote counts, and that many U.S. elections within the past ten years have been decided by a margin of victory of less than 0.1%.  All states are required to count every absentee ballot as long as it's valid and reaches local election officials by the absentee ballot receipt deadline. 

Be an Educated Voter.  Check out the FVAP links page for helpful resources that will 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 via numerous websites such as Project Smart Voter.  You can also read national and hometown newspapers on-line, 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 and Twitter.

If you have any questions about registering to vote overseas, please contact U.S. Embassy Warsaw’s   Voting Assistance Officer at (48) (22) 504 2784, or at acswarsaw@state.gov.

For the latest security information, Americans living and traveling abroad should regularly monitor the Department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs web site, where the current Worldwide Caution, Travel Alerts, and Travel Warnings can be found.  Up-to-date information on security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the U.S., or, for callers outside the U.S. and Canada, a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444.  These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).

If you have additional questions or concerns, you may contact the U.S. Embassy’s American Citizen Services unit either by telephone at (48) (22) 504-2784 or e-mail at acswarsaw@state.gov.  The after-hours telephone number is (48) (22) 504-2000.  The U.S. Embassy in Warsaw is located at Aleje Ujazdowskie 29/31.  The Consular Section entrance is located around the corner at ulica Piękna 12.