Message for U.S. Citizens – U.S. Embassy Hanoi and U.S. Consulate General Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (June 24, 2020)
July 4th Voting Message
Celebrate democracy this 4th of July by taking the necessary steps to vote in the 2020 U.S. elections!
In order to vote in the November 2020 elections, all overseas U.S. citizens need to have completed a Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) in 2020. Whether you are a first-time voter or have already received ballots and voted absentee in past elections, you must complete an FPCA each year to participate in elections as an overseas absentee voter.
Registering to Vote and submitting a ballot is fast, easy, and can be done from anywhere in the world! Follow a few simple steps to vote in the 2020 U.S. elections:
- Register to vote: Start by confirming your voter registration with your state. Some states require absentee voters to register annually, so you may need to re-register. Go to FVAP.gov to connect to your state’s voter portal to register to vote, request a ballot, and more.
- Request Your Ballot: Most states provide the option to request ballots through their state election portals, which you can easily access via FVAP.gov. You can also choose to complete a Federal Post Card Application (FPCA). 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. FPCA forms that are correctly filled out and include a signature and date are accepted by all local election officials in every U.S. state and territory. FVAP’s easy online assistant can assist you with completing the FPCA.
Whether you request your ballot through your state’s portal or the FPCA, we encourage you to select the option to receive your ballot electronically (by email, internet download, or fax) when available. This is the fastest way to get your ballot and ensures you have it in time to return a completed form before your state’s deadline.
- 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. Most states allow you to confirm your ballot delivery online.
- Return Your Completed, Signed Ballot: Some states allow you to return your completed ballot electronically. If your state requires you to return paper voting forms or ballots to local election officials by mail, you can do so through international mail, by professional courier service, or through U.S. Embassy Hanoi or U.S. Consulate General Ho Chi Minh City’s diplomatic pouch. The diplomatic pouch provides free mail service from embassies and consulates to a U.S. sorting facility. You will need to place your ballots in postage paid return envelopes or in envelopes bearing sufficient U.S. postage, in order for them to be delivered to the proper local election authorities once received by the U.S. sorting facility.
You can drop off your completed voting forms and ballots addressed to your local election officials at the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi or Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City. In Hanoi, ballots may be submitted to a lock box at the American Citizen Services unit on the 2nd Floor, Rose Garden Building, 170 Ngoc Khanh, Hanoi, Monday – Friday from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. In Ho Chi Minh City, ballots may be dropped off at the U.S. Consulate every other Wednesday morning between 8:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. (Please see our website for date details.) You will need a photo ID to enter the building. As this is a U.S. government facility, all personal items and documents will be screened by security and you will be asked to turn in your electronics (mobile phones, iPads, etc.) to the security guard. After you enter the building, please ensure your ballot is addressed correctly and sealed in postage paid return envelopes or in envelopes bearing sufficient U.S. domestic postage so they may be delivered to the proper local election authorities. Please plan ahead! It can take up to four weeks for mail to reach its destination if sent by an embassy or consulate via diplomatic pouch. You may want to consider professional courier service if close to voting deadlines.
Researching the Candidates and Issues: Go to the FVAP links page for helpful resources to 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 online. You can also read national and hometown newspapers online or search the internet to locate articles and information. For information about election dates and deadlines, subscribe to FVAP’s Voting Alerts (vote@fvap.gov). FVAP also shares Voting Alerts via Facebook (@DODFVAP), Twitter (@FVAP), and Instagram (@fvapgov).
Learn more at the Federal Voting Assistance Program’s (FVAP) website, FVAP.gov. If you have any questions about registering to vote overseas, please contact U.S. Embassy Hanoi’s Voting Assistance Officer at VoteHanoi@state.gov and U.S. Consulate General Ho Chi Minh City at VoteVietnam@state.gov.
Remember, your vote counts!
