The Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) is necessary for US citizen living in Spain to start the absentee voting process as it is standardised for use across all states.
You need a voting residence to vote by absentee ballot — even if you are only voting for federal offices. Your election office needs your exact voting residence address to determine which offices and candidates you are eligible to vote for — and to send you the appropriate ballot for your voting precinct.
1) How to register to vote and request your ballot:
Fill out the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) and send it to your election office. Deadlines vary from state to state so make sure you know when your state’s deadline is. Regardless of which state, it is best to send in your FPCA by the 1st of August. Your legal residence is probably your voting residence, too.
Choosing to use the Federal Post Card Application will make sure that your state will get your ballot to you at least 45 days before the elections. So, if you haven’t done it yet, you had better get a move on.
2) When your ballot arrives fill it out and send it off.
For the upcoming general election you should have received it by beginning of October, therefore it’s best to send it off as soon as you receive it. If you live outside the USA, the recommended vote-by date for this November’s elections is the 24th of October.
3) What do you do if your have requested ballot in order to vote but you haven’t received it?
Contact your election office to find out the status of your ballot request.
If you have already requested your ballot but haven’t received it, contact your election office to ask about the status of your ballot request. If there just isn’t time to get the ballot and send it of, then you should use the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB), which is a sort of ballot back-up.
The FWAB works like a backup ballot. If your official absentee ballot arrives after sending in the FWAB, fill out and send in the official ballot too.
(News/Noticias: US Citizens Voting from Spain)
Hello,
If you have filled out the FPCA form more than 45 days before the election then states are required to send out ballots 45 days before each election. This year for the general election that would mean that your ballot should be emailed to you (if that is how you requested it) or mailed to you no later than September 21st. If you requested your ballot by email and have not received it by Sept 21st then contact Vote From Abroad by clicking on the little chat bubble in the lower left corner. Do not wait to ask for help. Everyday counts.