Most Americans living abroad should be able to vote in U.S. federal elections in 2016. Voting is coordinated through state authorities, so overseas voters need a connection of some kind with a U.S. state in order to vote. To vote from overseas you will have to register to vote, request an absentee ballot, and submit a completed ballot, as explained below.
For Americans who have lived in the United States at some point, you should register in your last state of residence. For Americans who have never lived in the United States but have a parent, legal guardian, or spouse who did, your relative’s last state of domicile may allow you to register there. The Federal Voter Assistance Program (FVAP) website (www.FVAP.gov) makes it easy to find out if you are eligible to vote in a particular state. The site also provides a state-by-state guide on how to register to vote and how to request and submit your absentee ballot. Just select the state where you are registered or would like to register on the top left corner of the FVAP homepage to get started.
