Voting for Military and
Overseas US Citizens

This web page provides information to US citizens covered by the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA).Those covered by UOCAVA include members of the Uniformed Services and U.S. citizens who reside outside the United States.

U.S. citizens who are members of the Uniformed Services and their family members are defined in the law as U.S. Armed Forces (Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force and Coast Guard), merchant marine, commissioned corps of the Public Health Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

If you are not a UOCAVA citizen, and wish to vote absentee as a regular state voter, please click on the following link: How to Apply for an Absentee Ballot

Applying for an Absentee Ballot

The Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) is the primary form for requesting registration and/or an absentee ballot from your local election official.  To request an absentee ballot, the local registrar of voters must receive your FPCA or any other form of written communication with your name, date of birth, former residence and present residence not later than noon the day before the election.

Read all instructions printed below and on the FPCA before completing and signing your application.

Federal on-line Postcard Application (PDF, 484k)

Application Instructions

The instructions below correspond to the numbered items on the application.

Block 1: Select the category that describes you.

Block 2.a: Name (Last, First, Middle); Block 2.e: Date of Birth

Block 3.a through 3.e: Complete street address of your Massachusetts voting residence. A post office box is not sufficient. If your address includes a rural route, describe its location in Block 6. This address must be different from the one provided in Block 4 and must be within the county where you claim legal voting residence. Provide as much information as possible for the location where you last voted.

Block 4.a: Complete address where you want your ballot sent – usually your current mailing address. It must be different from the address you provided in Block 3.

Block 4.c: Massachusetts does not allow you to receive the absentee ballot by fax or email.

Block 5: Enter your political party affiliation when applying for a primary ballot. Political party affiliation is not required if only requesting absentee ballots for general elections. If you want to change your political party affiliation, submit a completed Voter Registration/Absentee Ballot Request form indicating your new party preference to the local election official.

Block 6: Provide any information that may assist the local election official in accepting this application.

Block 7: Sign and date. No witness or notary required.
Mail or fax your completed FPCA to the City or Town Clerk in your city or town of voting residence. Contact information for local election officials can be found at: http://www.sec.state.ma.us/ele/eleclk/clkidx.htm

Casting Your Ballot

Availability of Ballots: Local election officials mail ballots approximately 35 days before the primary and 21 days before a general election.

Ballot Return Deadline: If you reside within the U.S., return your voted ballot to the local election official so that it arrives by the close of polls (8:00 p.m.) on election day.

If you reside outside the U.S., your voted ballot must be returned to your local election official so that it arrives by the close of polls (8:00 p.m.) on election day to be counted for local and primary elections.

Your voted ballot must be postmarked by election day and returned to the local election official so that it arrives not later than 10 days after the election to be counted for Federal and city final elections.

Voting By Citizens Who Have Never Lived in the U.S.

U.S. citizens who have never resided in the U.S. but have a parent who is eligible to vote in Massachusetts are eligible to vote at the same voting residence claimed by their parent (for local, state and Federal office ballots).

Application by a Family Member

Additionally, your spouse, or person residing in the same household, parent, in-laws, brother, sister, son, daughter, stepparent, stepchild, half-sister, half-brother, uncle, aunt, niece, nephew, grandparent or grandchild may request that a ballot be sent to you.  

Absentee Ballot Application by a Family Member (PDF, 100k)

Voting your ballot

Local election officials send ballots approximately 35 days before primary elections and 21 days before general elections.

Voted ballots for local and primary elections must be received by the close of polls on Election Day.

Voted ballots for general and special state elections must be received by the local election official by the close of polls on Election Day for Stateside Uniformed Service members and their families (or postmarked by Election Day and received by the local election official no later than 10 days after the election for all voters overseas.)

No witness or notary is required on voted ballots.

Voted ballots must be returned by mail.

Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot

Massachusetts allows you to use the Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot (FWAB) for voting in all elections. You can use the FWAB to vote anytime before an election, even if you have not applied for a State absentee ballot. Please visit the Federal Voting Assistance Program at www.fvap.gov for further information.

Complete the Following Blocks of the FWAB’s Voter Declaration/ Affirmation:

Block 1.a: Select the category that describes you.

Block 1.b: Massachusetts does not require voter registration. Do not check this block.

Block 2.a: Name (Last, First, Middle)

Block 2.e: Date of Birth

Block 2.h through 2.j: Recommended but not required. Provide our contact information to allow your local election official to follow up if more information is required.

Block 3.a through 3.e: Complete street address of your Massachusetts voting residence. A post office box is not sufficient. If your address includes a rural route, describe its location in Block 6. This address must be within the city or town where you claim legal voting residence.

Block 4.a: Enter your current mailing address.

Block 5: Enter your political party preference if you would like to vote in primary elections.

Block 6: Provide any information that may assist the local election official in accepting this ballot or application.

Block 7: Sign and date. No witness or notary required.

Vote Your FWAB:

Massachusetts allows you to use the FWAB for voting in all elections. To find out the offices, candidates and questions for which you can vote for state primaries and state elections, go to www.sec.state.ma.us/ele. For information regarding offices, candidates and questions for which you can vote for local elections, please contact your city or town election official. 

For each office for which you vote, write in either a candidate’s name or a political party designation. Once the ballot is complete, fold and place it in the security envelope and seal. Place only the voted ballot in the security envelope and do not write on the security envelope.

How and Where to Submit Your FWAB:

The deadline for submitting the FWAB is the same as for State absentee ballots, except for ballots for general and special final elections being sent from overseas by mail. These ballots must be postmarked by Election Day and received no later than 10 days after the election.

If you receive the State ballot after submitting the voted FWAB, you may also vote and return the State ballot. If both ballots are received by the deadline, only the State ballot will be counted.

Massachusetts allows you to submit the FWAB by mail, email or fax.

If you choose to mail your FWAB, insert the sealed security envelope and the Voter’s Declaration/Affirmation into the mailing envelope and mail the ballot directly to your local election office.

By emailing or faxing the voted FWAB, you are waiving the right to secrecy of the ballot. You must sign and date a statement on the Electronic Transmission Sheet available in Chapter 1 or at www.fvap.gov indicating, “I understand that by faxing or emailing my voted ballot I am voluntarily waiving my right to secret ballot.”

If emailing, email the voted FWAB along with your voter affirmation, and Electronic Transmission Sheet as a scanned attachment directly to your Town or City Clerk.

If faxing, fax the voted FWAB along with your voter affirmation, and Electronic Transmission Sheet directly to your town or City Clerk.

Contact information for local election officials can be found at www.sec.state.ma.us/ele/eleclk/clkidx.htm.

If email or fax is not available, use the DoD Electronic Transmission Service to email or fax your FWAB:

Email the FWAB, voter affirmation and Electronic Transmission Sheet as a scanned attachment to ets@fvap.ncr.gov. It will be forwarded to the appropriate local election official. 

Fax the FWAB along with your voter affirmation and Electronic Transmission Sheet to: (703) 693-5527, DSN 223-5527, or toll-free (from U.S., Canada, Guam, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands to 1-800-368-8683). International toll-free numbers can be found at www.fvap.gov