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Absentee Voting for Iowans who are in the Military or Overseas
If your last home address in the US was in Iowa, you can vote here.
You also must meet all of the requirements to register to vote.
Use the Federal Postcard Application (FPCA) to register to vote and to request absentee ballots.
A new initiative in Iowa allows the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) citizens to
request, receive and return absentee ballots via email and fax. Iowa will accept email requests for
absentee ballots and process email ballots returned through the Defense Department's Electronic Transmission
and Fax Service.
If you need to have your ballot sent electronically, you must specifically ask for this service. If you receive
your ballot by mail, you may return it electronically.
Voter registration requirements
- A US citizen
- At least 17 ½ years old (and 18 years old when you vote)
- Not have been convicted of a felony, or you must have had your rights restored
- Not currently be judged by a court to be "incompetent to vote"
- Give up your right to vote in any other place
Follow these 5 steps to vote:
1. Complete the Federal Postcard Application (FPCA) form
- Instructions for filling out the FPCA
*Item 3. "Voting Residence," means your home address in Iowa.
This is where you lived, not the polling place where you went to vote.
Use this address even if no one in your family still lives there.
2. Send the FPCA to your county auditor by mail, email or fax
The auditor must receive your FPCA by 5:00 p.m. on the Friday before the election.
- Mail FPCA to your County Auditor
- Email FPCA to: ets@fvap.ncr.gov or
- Fax FPCA to: 703-693-5527 or 1-800-368-8683
Citizens wishing to receive a blank ballot via email or fax should include this on the
ballot request AND include a current fax number or email address.
3. The auditor will send the ballot to you as requested - either by mail, fax or email.
4. Mark your ballot
5. Return your voted ballot to the county auditor
- By Mail (Use the pre-addressed envelope sent with your ballot)
- Instructions for returning your ballot by fax or email
- By Email to ets@fvap.ncr.gov
- By Fax to 703-693-5527, or 1-800-368-8683
Emailed or faxed ballots must be received by the county auditor's office before 9:00 pm (CST)
on November 7, 2006 (General Election).
Overseas UOCAVA citizens may send back ballots by email or fax only if it is not feasible to return
the absentee ballot by mail so that it arrives in Iowa by noon on November 13, 2006.
Proxy Absentee Ballot Request Form
- A family member who lives in the same county as the active duty member of the military or
overseas citizen may submit this absentee request form. Military and overseas voters do
not need to be registered to vote before the election. A registration form is included on
the absentee ballot envelope.
Useful Links
ACRONYMS
FPCA - Federal Postcard Application
FVAP - Federal Voting Assistance Program
UOCAVA - Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act
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Voter/Elections