Message for U.S. Citizens: How to Vote from Vietnam

VOTE Message for U.S. Citizens – Voting in 2020 U.S. Elections Photo credit: U.S. Embassy in Luxembourg

U.S. Mission Vietnam
Message for U.S. Citizens
 How to Vote from Vietnam
June 8, 2022 

It’s an election year! Registering to vote and submitting a ballot is fast, easy, and can be done from anywhere in the world.

Check Your Voter Registration Status and Submit a Ballot

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.  Once you confirm your registration, follow a few simple steps to vote in the 2022 U.S. elections:

  1. 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 assistantcan 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 for receiving your ballot electronically (by email, internet download, or fax) when available.  This is the fastest way for you to get your ballot and ensures you have it in time to return a completed form before your state’s deadline.
  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.  Most states allow you to confirm your ballot delivery online.
  3. Return Your Completed, Signed Ballot: 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 by mail, you can do so through international mail, professional courier service, or through diplomatic pouch at U.S. Embassy Hanoi or U.S. Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City.Please note that it can take up to four weeks for mail to reach its destination if sent via diplomatic pouch.  All overseas U.S. citizens are advised to submit their forms and ballots accordingly.

For more information, please see below:

    • Hanoi Consular District (north of Hue): Reach out to VoteHanoi@state.gov for voting materials and information.
    • Ho Chi Minh City Consular District(Hue and south): Reach out to VoteHoChiMinhCity@state.gov for voting materials and information.
    • Please visit the Federal Voting Assistance Program’s (FVAP) website, FVAP links page for helpful resources to aid your research of candidates and issues. Primary election dates are found here: https://www.fvap.gov/.