Absentee Voting Military and Overseas Voters

Who is Delaware's single point of contact? Who is a Uniformed Service or overseas voter? What is a permanent absentee voter? How do I become a permanent absentee voter? Who can help me? How do I register and get my absentee ballot? Do I have to re-register? When do I have to reapply for an absentee ballot?

Can I get my ballot electronically? How do I vote and send back my ballot? What do I do if I don't get my absentee ballot? What is a Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot? Where can I get a Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot? What are the key dates and deadlines? What email addresses should I unblock?

Who is Delaware's single point of contact?

The Department of Elections for New Castle County

• Email.
• Phone: (302) 577-5066

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Who is a Uniformed Service or overseas voters?

• A Uniformed Service member;
• A Uniformed Service family member; or
• A person who lives outside the United States.

Ask your county Department if you have questions.

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What is a permanent absentee voter?

• A person who is disabled, a uniformed service member, a uniformed service family member, or a person who lives outside the United States and who requests permanent absentee status..
• A voter who is automatically sent an absentee ballot for every election in which he/she is eligible to vote.
• A permanent absentee voter does not have to apply for every election.
• A permanent absentee voter must keep his/her county Department informed of his/her address, email address and other contact information.
• A person remains a permanent absentee voter until:
• Return of correspondence to the Department as undeliverable,
• The person's death or disqualification,
• Cancellation of the person's voter registration,
• Upon request by the voter, or
• If the person is no longer elibible for permanent absentee status.

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How do I become a permanent absentee voter?

• Write "Make me a permanent absentee voter" in section 6 of the FPCA.
• Other methods will be added later.

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Who can help me?

• Your county Department.
• Delaware's single point of contact.
• The Federal Voting Assistance Program.
• The Overseas Vote Foundation.

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How do I register and get my absentee ballot?

Use VoteDelaware to complete an FPCA and then follow the directions to return it to your county Department of Elections, or

Send a filled out  Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) to your county Department.

• Send it no later than the 3rd Monday before an election.
• Your application is good through the next General Election.
• We suggest you send it before August 1st in an election year, or January 1 in the year in which a President is elected.
• Send a new FPCA to change your party affiliation, email address, mailing address, name change or voting address.

Hints:

• Register as a Democrat or Republican to vote in the respective primary.
• Change your party affiliation on or before the last Friday in May in the year of a General Election.
• Change your party affiliation at least 60 days before the date of Delaware's Presidential Primary.
• Always include a phone number, FAX number and/or email address.
• Overseas voters will get a full ballot if overseas temporarily.
• Overseas voters must give their overseas address.
• Overseas voters can give a forwarding address if they want their ballot sent to an address other than their overseas address.

Get an FPCA from:

• VoteDelaware.
• The Federal Voting Assistance WEB Site;
• The Overseas Vote Foundation
• This site

Send the filled out FPCA to your county Department:

• By mail; FAX or email.
• Department contact information.
• Send it by air mail if you mail it at a foreign post office.
• Use the correct postage if you mail it at a foreign post office.

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Do I have to re-register?

• No. Voter registration is permanent.
• You should update your registration information by sending a new FPCA if you change you mailing address, voting address, email address, name and/or party affiliation.

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When do I have to reapply for an absentee ballot?

• Before every General Election.
• An FPCA requesting an absentee ballot is good through the next General Election.

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How do I get my ballot electronically?

• Mark the email or FAX box on the FPCA; and
• Write an email address or FAX number on the FPCA.
• Your county Department sends you a ballot or tells you how to get it.
• Follow the instructions sent with your ballot.

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What do I do if I don't get my absentee ballot?

• Contact your Department of Elections, or
• Fill out and send in a Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot (FWAB).

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How do I vote and send back my ballot?

• If you got your ballot by mail, follow these instructions.
• If you got your ballot by email or used the Ballot Marking Wizard, follow these instructions.
• If you got your ballot by FAX, follow these instructions.

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What is a Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot (FWAB)?

• It is a ballot you can send to your county Department
  • If you do not have time to have a ballot sent to you; or
  • If you do not get your ballot in time.
• It is also a registration request if sent on or before the third Monday before an election.
• The Departments do not count an FWAB if it gets a person's regular ballot.

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Where can I get a Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot?

• By downloading it;
• From a Voting Assistance Officer;
• From a United States embassy or consulate;
• From an organization such as the Overseas Vote Foundation

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What are the key dates and deadlines for military and overseas citizen voters?

What email addresses should I unblock?

You should unblock emails from the following addresses depending on your county:

• Kent County: betty.greco@state.de.us
• New Castle County: sarah.denzmore@state.de.us & howard.sholl@state.de.us
• Sussex County: Lisa.H.Briggs@state.de.us

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Last Updated: Tuesday, 16-Oct-2012 14:34:11 EDT