The 2024 U.S. presidential elections are scheduled to be held on Tuesday, November 5, 2024. Registering to vote and submitting a ballot is fast, easy, and can be done from anywhere in the world! If you are a U.S. citizen living abroad, make sure to register early and request your absentee ballots.
Follow a few simple steps to vote in the 2024 U.S. elections:
- Complete a Federal Post Card Application (FPCA): To vote in the November 2024 elections, all overseas U.S. citizens need to complete a FPCA in 2024. Whether you are a first-time voter or have already received ballots and voted absentee in past elections, you must complete an FPCA each calendar year to participate in elections as an overseas absentee voter. 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 year in which you submit the FPCA. Local election officials in all U.S. states and territories accept the FPCA. FVAP’s easy online assistant can assist you with completing the FPCA.
- Register to vote: Start by confirming your voter registration with your state. Note that some states require absentee voters to re-register annually. Go to FVAP.gov to connect to your state’s voter portal.
- Request Your Ballot: Most states provide the option to request ballots through their state election portals, which you can easily access via FVAP.gov. You can also choose to complete a FPCA. Whether you request your ballot through your state’s portal or the FPCA, we encourage you to select the option to receive your ballot electronically (by email, internet download, or fax) when available. This is the fastest way to get your ballot and ensures you have it in time to return a completed form before your state’s deadline.
- Receive and Complete Your Ballot: States are required to send out ballots 45 days before a regular election for federal office, and generally at least 30 days before primary elections. Most states allow you to confirm your ballot delivery online.
- Return Your Completed, Signed Ballot: Some states allow you to return your completed ballot electronically. If your state requires you to return paper ballots by mail, you can do so through international mail, professional courier service, or through Embassy Tallinn’s diplomatic pouch. To ship via the Embassy, you need to place your ballots in postage paid return envelopes or envelopes bearing sufficient U.S. postage to be delivered to the local election authorities. Please note that it can take up to three weeks for mail to reach its destination if sent by Embassy diplomatic pouch. Ballots will be forwarded as soon as received, but voters may want to consider using a courier service if submitting your ballot close to or after the stated delivery time for pouch mail.
As the 2024 presidential election gets closer, Embassy Tallinn will set up specific ballot drop off times and send out updated instructions. If you need to drop off ballots for earlier special or primary elections, please contact the American Citizen Services unit at ACSTallinn@state.gov.
Upcoming Elections for Federal Office:
January 2024:
January 23 (Tentative): New Hampshire Presidential Primary Election
February 2024:
February 3: South Carolina Presidential Primary – Democratic
February 6: Nevada Presidential Primary
February 24: South Carolina Presidential Primary – Republican
February 27: Michigan Presidential Primary
March 2024:
March 5:
- Presidential Primary: Arkansas; California; Colorado; Maine; Massachusetts; Minnesota; North Carolina; Oklahoma; Tennessee; Texas; Utah; Vermont; Virginia
- State Primary: Arkansas; North Carolina; Texas
March 12:
- Presidential Primary: Georgia; Mississippi; Washington
- Mississippi State Primary
March 19:
- Presidential Primary: Arizona; Illinois; Kansas; Ohio
- State Primary: Illinois; Ohio
March 23: Louisiana Presidential Primary
Learn more at the Federal Voting Assistance Program’s (FVAP) website, FVAP.gov. To receive information by email 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 Tallinn at ACSTallinn@state.gov
Remember: your vote counts!
For further information:
- See the State Department’s travel websitefor the Worldwide Caution, Travel Warnings, Travel Alerts, and Estonia Country Specific Information.
- Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program(STEP)to receive security messages and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
- Contact the U.S. Embassy in Estonia, located in Tallinn at Kentmanni 20, at +372 668 8100. For questions related to American Citizen Services, please email ACSTallinn@state.gov.
- Call 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States and Canada or 1-202-501-4444 from other countries from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).
