Military and Overseas Voting

Are you serving in the military or will be abroad during the election?

You may qualify for a faster way to register and vote by absentee ballot under the federal Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) and state law.

Graphic illustration of a plane leaving its destination with a track behind it.

How to register and vote if you are in the military or a citizen outside the country:

  • 1

    Check if you’re covered.

    Explore the tabs for information on the two voter types who are covered: Military members and citizens outside the country.

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    You are a covered military member if your voting residence is in North Carolina and you are:

    • A member of the active or reserve components of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard who is on active duty.
    • A member of the Merchant Marine, the commissioned corps of the Public Health Service, or the commissioned corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
    • A member of the National Guard or state militia units on activated status.
    • The spouse or dependent of someone listed above.

    You are a covered overseas citizen if you are a U.S. citizen, and you are:

    • Living outside the United States, and, before leaving the United States, you were last eligible to vote in North Carolina.
    • Living outside the United States, and, before leaving the United States, you were a North Carolina resident who was not old enough to vote.

    Typical overseas citizens who are covered voters include North Carolina college students studying abroad, North Carolinians working or traveling abroad, and North Carolinians who have permanently moved abroad.

    If you were born outside of the United States and have never resided in North Carolina, then you are not eligible to vote in state and local contests in North Carolina. However, if you are a U.S. citizen who was born abroad and has never registered to vote in any other state, and your parent or guardian was last eligible to vote in North Carolina before moving abroad, you can vote in federal contests only in North Carolina.

  • 2

    Register to vote and request your absentee ballot with the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA).

    The deadline is 5 p.m. ET the day before Election Day. Click the tabs to compare how to apply: Online or on paper.

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    Complete the FPCA online via the NC Military/Overseas Voter Services Portal:

    • Easiest, most convenient method.
    • No pen, paper, or printer required.
    • Fill out the form with a keyboard, sign it using your mouse or finger, and return it with the click of a button.

    Fill out the FPCA online

    Note: The application is for use in the calendar year of the election(s) you intend to vote in.

    Complete the FPCA on paper:

    • Method requires pen, paper, and printer.
    • Fill out and return your completed and signed application via mail, email, or fax to your county board of elections.
    • Alternatively, send it to the State Board of Elections, and we will forward it to your county board of elections for you:
      • Mail: North Carolina State Board of Elections, P.O. Box 27255, Raleigh, NC 27611-7255
      • Email: absentee@ncsbe.gov
      • Fax: (919) 715-0351

    Download the FPCA (PDF)

    Note: The application is for use in the calendar year of the election(s) you intend to vote in.

  • 3

    Receive, vote, and return your absentee ballot.

    The ballot and voting instructions will arrive where you specified on the FPCA. You must include a photocopy of an acceptable ID when returning your ballot, or you may complete an ID Exception Form. The voting instructions will tell you how to meet the photo ID requirement. Make sure to sign the Military-Overseas Voter Affirmation that comes with the ballot materials. You can sign with your mouse or finger if you receive them online. The ballot return deadline via online/email or fax is 7:30 p.m. ET on Election Day.

    The ballot return deadline via mail is 12:01 a.m. on Election Day (your local time). It must be put in the mail by this deadline and then reach your county board of elections by 5 p.m. ET on the last business day before the county canvass, which occurs 10 days after each election — except for September and October odd-year municipal elections when it’s seven days after the election. A postmark is not required.

When to use the Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot (FWAB):

If you have followed the first two steps above but have yet to receive your ballot in time to participate in the election, download and print the FWAB (PDF), also known as the backup ballot. It will have blanks for you to write in your choices. See above for ballot return deadlines.

Tips:

Questions?

Visit FAQ: Military and Overseas Voting.