Military and Overseas Voters

(Note: Federal law does not require any state to extend voting eligibility to a person who has never resided in that state on the basis that one or both of the person’s parents are, or were, residents in that state. )

If you are eligible, you may vote a federal ballot (candidates for U.S. President, vice president, U.S. Senate and member of the U.S. House of Representatives) from the Ohio precinct in which you resided immediately before leaving the U.S. to live in a foreign country, even though you may no longer have ties to, and may not intend to return to, Ohio.

(Note: In odd-numbered years, the only federal election that may be held would be a special election to fill a vacancy in Ohio’s congressional delegation.) You must register to vote and/or request an absentee ballot using the current Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) postcard or the online version. The online FPCA can be downloaded from www.fvap.gov .)

You may also be eligible to vote a regular Ohio ballot if you maintain a qualifying voting address in Ohio and have lived outside Ohio less than four consecutive years.

The voting residence of a service member is the place in Ohio where the service member resided immediately preceding the commencement of his or her service, unless he or she later established a voting residence elsewhere in Ohio.

1.     If you are not currently a registered Ohio voter, you may use the current Federal Post Card Application (FPCA), available online at www.fvap.gov , both to register to vote and to request absentee ballots.

2.     If you already are a registered Ohio voter, you may request an absentee ballot using a form prescribed by the Ohio Secretary of State (Form 11-A , if you will be in Ohio during the absentee period; otherwise, Form 11-D or an FPCA).

3.     If you already are registered Ohio voter, you may designate an eligible relative to request an absentee ballot on your behalf. Your relative must use the form prescribed by the Ohio Secretary of State (Form 11-E ).  

1.     In person: Once absentee ballots are available, you may go to your county board of elections office or a site designated by the board of elections for voting no later than the day before the election and request, receive, and vote your ballot at the board office or designated site.

2.     By mail: Beginning January 1, 2011, or 90 days before the date of an election, you may mail your properly completed absentee ballot application, bearing your original signature, to the board of elections of the county in which your voting residence is located. The board must receive your request by noon on the Saturday before the election. However, you should submit your request as far in advance of the election as possible to ensure there is sufficient time for the board to mail, fax, or email you a ballot.  Your marked ballot must be returned by mail. 

3.     By fax: You may fax your absentee ballot request to the board of elections of the county in which your voting residence is located. The board must receive your request by noon on the Saturday before the election. You may request that the board fax, mail, or email your ballot to you, but you must return your marked ballot by mail.

4.     By email:  Your completed and signed absentee ballot request form may be emailed to the board of elections office votebymail@cuyahogacounty.us .  The board must receive your request by noon on the Saturday before the election. You may request that the board fax, mail, or email your ballot to you, but you must return your marked ballot by mail. 

When the board of elections issues your ballot, it will provide you with information on how to track the status of your ballot in the Centralized Ballot Tracking System. 

If you have requested an absentee ballot but do not receive it within 3 weeks of the election, you may wish to use the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot . Once you receive your absentee ballot, vote and return it via mail or in person.  If both ballots are received by the deadline, only the state ballot will be counted.

By U.S. Mail: the return envelope containing your marked ballot must be postmarked no later than the day before the election and received by the board of elections no later than 10 days after a special, primary or general election. (Note: Ohio’s election law states that “postmarked” does not include a date marked by a postage evidence system, such as a postage meter. Therefore, the return envelope must bear a valid postage cancellation stamp affixed by the U.S. Postal Service.)

In person, either by you or an eligible family member: your marked ballot, which must be sealed in the completed and signed identification envelope provided with the ballot, must be delivered to the board of elections office no later than the close of polls on Election Day.

2.     If you are a voter outside the U.S. on Election Day (uniformed service personnel or overseas voter), your ballot envelope must be signed and postmarked by the close of polls on Election Day and received by your county board of elections not later than the 10 days after a special, primary or general election.

Note: No voted ballot may be returned to a board of elections by fax or email.  If a voted ballot is returned by fax or email, it will not be accepted, processed, or counted.