Registering to Vote and submitting a ballot is fast, easy, and can be done from anywhere in the world!

Start by confirming your voter registration with your state.  Some states require absentee voters to register annually so you may need to re-register.  Go to FVAP.gov to connect to your state’s voter portal to register to vote, request a ballot, and more.

1.  Voting in the Georgia and Louisiana Special Elections: There is still time for voters to vote in the December 1, December 5, and January 5 special elections.  Information on how to vote in Georgia can be found on https://www.fvap.gov/georgia and information on how to vote in Louisiana is available on https://www.fvap.gov/louisiana
2.  Return Your Completed, Signed Ballot:  Some states allow you to return your completed ballot electronically and others do not.  If your state requires you to return paper voting forms or ballots to local election officials by mail, you can do so through international mail, professional courier service, or through the U.S. Mission the Netherlands’ diplomatic pouch.  The diplomatic pouch provides free mail service from embassies and consulates to a U.S. sorting facility.  You will need to place your ballots in postage paid return envelopes or in envelopes bearing sufficient U.S. postage addressed to the relevant local election officials, in order for them to be delivered to the proper local election authorities.  If using the diplomatic pouch, ballots can be dropped off in the ballot box at the U.S. Consulate General in Amsterdam, 19 Museumplein, Amsterdam, or at the U.S. Embassy The Hague, John Adams Park 1, Wassenaar.  Only sealed and postage-paid ballots can be mailed.  Please note that delivery times vary, but it takes approximately 4 weeks for mail to reach its destination if sent via diplomatic pouch.  All overseas U.S. citizens are advised to submit their forms and ballots accordingly.
   • Alternatively you can send your ballot to your U.S. election office through the Dutch mail system, PostNL (standard international postage rates apply). Or, you can use an express delivery service such as UPS, DHL, or FedEX to send your ballot to the United States (commercial rates apply). If you choose either of these two options please review the delivery timeline information to ensure that your ballot will arrive by the deadline.

Researching the Candidates and Issues:   Go to the FVAP links page for helpful resources to 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 on-line. 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 (@DODFVAP), Twitter (@FVAP), and Instagram (@fvapgov).

Learn more at the Federal Voting Assistance Program’s (FVAP) website, FVAP.gov.  If you have any questions about registering to vote overseas, please contact U.S. Consulate General Amsterdam’s Voting Assistance Officer at voteAmsterdam@state.gov.

Remember, your vote counts!