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Military & Overseas Citizens

UOCAVA citizens are U.S. citizens who are members of the U.S. Armed Forces (Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force and Coast Guard), merchant marine, commissioned corps of the Public Health Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, their family members, and citizens outside the United States.

If you are covered by UOCAVA and not a resident of North Carolina, please go to the Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP)website for information about registering in your state of residence and requesting the appropriate forms.

If you are a resident of North Carolina and are registered to vote in North Carolina you may request an absentee ballot by mail or in person from your local County Board of Elections office or you may submit a Federal Post Card Application (FPCA SF-76).

If you are a resident of North Carolina but not registered to vote you may submit a Federal Post Card Application (FPCA SF-76) form to your county of residence.

North Carolina Absent Uniformed Services and Overseas Citizens

WHO QUALIFIES?

NC law (GS 163, Article 21) defines absent uniformed services voters and overseas citizens as the following:

  1. Members of the US armed forces (as defined by UOCAVA)
  2. Spouses of members of the US armed forces
  3. Disabled war veterans in US government hospitals
  4. Civilians attached to and serving outside the US with the armed forces
  5. Members of the Peace Corps
  6. Other individuals meeting definitions of “absent uniformed services voter” and “overseas voter” in the UOCAVA

REGISTERING & REQUESTING A BALLOT

Absent UOCAVA voters may use the FPCA to register and request an absentee ballot. Requests from absent uniformed services voters are good through the end of the current calendar year.

In lieu of the FPCA, absent UOCAVA registered voters may make a written request, issued by the county board of elections or the voter, for registration and/or absentee ballot request provided the request contains the following information:

  1. election for which the ballots are being requested
  2. political party affiliation, if primary
  3. a statement of membership in any of the above qualifying categories of absent UOCAVA voters
  4. a statement of the precinct of registration or the address of the voter’s residence in the county
  5. the address where the ballots are to be mailed
  6. must be signed by the voter

FPCAs are not required to be notarized or witnessed.

FPCAs or written requests can be submitted by mail, by facsimile (using the secure fax #919-715-0351) or as an email attachment.

Requests for registration and absentee ballots by absent UOCAVA voters may be submitted at any time during the calendar year prior to the day of the election.

RECEIVING A BALLOT

Individuals qualified to register and receive absentee ballots under these provisions may receive their ballot by:

  1. Mail
  2. Fax

Ballots will be faxed to the voter using guidelines established by the State Board of Elections and contained in 8 NCAC Chapter 12. The voter must request that the ballot be faxed and specify the fax number where the ballot is to be sent.

CASTING & RETURNING THE BALLOT

Ballots should be marked by the voter or in the voter’s presence according to the instructions contained in the absentee ballot package or faxed materials and witnessed by two persons who are at least 18 years of age.

Voted ballots should be returned to the county board of elections along with the completed certificate printed on the container return envelope or fax materials.

Ballots should be received by the county board of elections no later than 5 pm the day before the election in order to be counted. Ballots arriving on Election Day before the close of the polls may have only the offices of President and Vice President counted. (42 U.S.C. 1973aa-1(d))

INCOMPLETE REQUESTS

If the FPCA or written request is missing required information or information is provided that does not permit the county to register the voter and/or process the absentee request (i.e. last voting residence is not a proper address, etc.), the voter shall be notified by the county board of elections and given the opportunity to correct the error.

Contacting the Federal Voting Assistance Program:

Mail:
Federal Voting Assistance Program
Department of Defense
1155 Defense Pentagon
Washington, DC 20301-1155

Telephone:
Office hours are 7:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. EST, Monday through Friday. Messages may be left 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Toll-Free for the United States, Canada, Guam, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands:
1-800-438-VOTE (8683) — Fax: 1-800-368-8683 — Commercial: (703) 588-1584 / DSN: 425-1584

International Toll-Free Phone Numbers
E-mail:
ets@fvap.ncr.gov
Federal Voting Assistance Program Web Site

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