Voting is one of our fundamental rights as U.S. citizens. Members of the military, their families, and Americans living abroad can choose to exercise that right from anywhere in the world through voting by mail/absentee voting. The Election Assistance Commission (EAC), the Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP), and the United States Postal Service (USPS) are part of this process.

The absentee voting process applies to U.S. citizens protected by the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA):

• Members of the Uniformed Services (Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard, United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps)

• Members of the Merchant Marines

• Eligible family members of the above

• U.S. citizens residing outside the U.S.

Each state has mail-in voting, but some states only allow a person to vote by mail in certain circumstances. For example, some states only allow voting by mail when the citizen has applied for an absentee ballot—also known as a ballot by mail.

Voting procedures and requirements for state and federal elections are generally governed by state law and vary from state to state.

In California, all registered voters are eligible to vote by mail, not just those covered under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA). This includes members of the military, their families, and U.S. citizens living abroad. California does not require an excuse or specific circumstances for voting by mail. Voters can request a vote-by-mail ballot for a single election or sign up to be a permanent vote-by-mail voter. For UOCAVA citizens, the Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) provides additional support, ensuring they can receive and submit their ballots regardless of where they are in the world. The process is facilitated by the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) and the United States Postal Service (USPS) to ensure timely delivery of ballots. It's important for military members, their families, and overseas citizens to be aware of registration deadlines and specific procedures for submitting their ballots from abroad to ensure their votes are counted.