The American Citizens Services division of the United States Embassy in Malaysia tells us how to vote in the upcoming elections in the U.S.A. if you are an American citizen living in this country.

Every overseas U.S. citizen is eligible to vote by absentee ballot as long as it is valid and reaches local election officials by the absentee ballot receipt deadline. Unfortunately, late ballots are one of the top reasons that absentee ballots are rejected by election officials.

To make the most out of your vote, please follow a few simple steps to make sure that you can vote in the 2016 U.S. elections:

1. Request your ballot

Complete a new Federal Post Card Application (FPCA).  You must complete a new FPCA after January 1, 2016 to ensure you receive your ballot for the 2016 elections – even if you have completed one before. All overseas citizens must complete a new Federal Post Card Application each year to ensure they are not dropped from the voter register.

The completion of the FPCA allows you to request absentee ballots for all elections for federal offices (President, U.S. Senate, and U.S. House of Representatives)including primaries and special elections during the calendar year in which it is submitted.

The FPCA is accepted by all local election officials in all U.S. states and territories.  You can complete the FPCA online at FVAP.gov. The online voting assistant will ask you questions specific to your state. We encourage you to ask your local election officials to deliver your blank ballots to you electronically (by email, internet download, or fax, depending on your state).

Include your email address on your FPCA to take advantage of the electronic ballot delivery option. Return the FPCA per the instructions on the website. FVAP.gov will tell you if your state allows the FPCA to be returned electronically or if you must submit a paper copy with original signature. If you must return a paper version, please see below for mailing options.

2. Receive and complete your ballot

States are required to send out ballots 45 days before a regular election for federal office and states generally send out ballots at least 30 days before primary elections. For most states, you can confirm your registration and ballot delivery online.

Check out the FVAP links page for helpful resources that will aid your research of candidates and issues. Non-partisan information about candidates, their voting records, and their positions on issues are widely available and easy to obtain on-line.

You can also read national and hometown newspapers on-line, or search the internet to locate articles and information. For information about election dates and deadlines, subscribe to FVAP’s Voting Alerts ([email protected]). FVAP also shares Voting Alerts via Facebook and Twitter.

3. Return your completed ballot

Please remember U.S. Embassies are not polling places. Same-day in-person voting is not available outside the United States. Some states allow you to return your completed ballot electronically and others do not. If your state requires you to return paper voting forms or ballots to local election officials, you can do so free of charge at the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate.

• Fax, email, or internet
  Some states allow ballots to be submitted electronically. Check the specific requirements of your state since some require you to still mail in the signed paper ballot.

• Election materials drop-off at the Embassy
  U.S. citizens may drop off voting materials to be returned to the U.S. any business day between 9am and 3pm, at the front gate of the U.S. Embassy Kuala Lumpur at 376 Jalan Tun Razak.Place your registration materials or ballots in the postage paid return envelope (provided by your election officials, or use the online templates for registration or ballots) and address your voting materials to the relevant local election officials. Processing time is generally one to two weeks for materials to reach the U.S. postal system.

• Malaysian postal system or private courier service
  If it’s more convenient for you, you can also return your FPCA or ballot to your local election officials via international mail or professional courier service at your own expense. Affix the appropriate postage to your envelope when sending materials through the Malaysian Postal System. Do not forget to write USA on the envelope address. 

Learn more at the Federal Voting Assistance Program’s (FVAP) website, FVAP.gov.