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 New Jersey, voting by mail, also known as absentee voting, is available to all voters, including members of the military, their families, and U.S. citizens living abroad, without the need for a specific reason. This process is in line with the protections offered by the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA). New Jersey allows for no-excuse mail-in voting, meaning any registered voter can request a mail-in ballot without having to provide a reason for not being able to vote in person. Military and overseas voters can apply for a mail-in ballot through the Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) to ensure their votes are counted even when they are away from their home state. The ballots can be returned via mail, fax, or electronically, depending on the voter's circumstances. The state provides specific guidelines and deadlines for the application and submission of mail-in ballots to ensure timely processing before an election.