Civilian Overseas, Active Duty Military and Federal Absentee Voting

Civilian Overseas, Active Duty Military, and Federal Absentee Voting Instructions


Applying for an Absentee Ballot

The voter registration and absentee ballot request form for voters that are either on active duty or located outside the country is called the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA). Section 1 of the FPCA asks a voter to pick a voter classification:

  • Military electors are voters that select “I am on active duty in the Uniformed Services or Merchant Marine OR I am an eligible spouse or dependent.” These voters are eligible to vote for all Federal, State, and Local offices as well as ballot questions and referendums.
  • Overseas electors are voters that select “I am a U.S citizen living outside the country, and I intend to return.” Overseas voters are eligible to vote for all Federal, State, and Local offices as well as ballot questions and referendums.
  • Federal electors are voters that select “I am a U.S citizen living outside the country, and my intent to return is uncertain.” Federal voters are only eligible to vote for Federal offices.

Selecting “I am a U.S. citizen living outside the country, and I have never lived in the United States” makes a person NOT eligible to vote under Pennsylvania statute 42 U.S.C. §§ 1973ff-6(5)(B) & (C). 

You may register to vote and request an official absentee ballot by using the  Federal Postcard Application (FCPA).

This application is acceptable for general, primary and special elections for which you are eligible in that calendar year. We recommend you send in a new FPCA every January for eligible elections.

You may apply for an absentee ballot by submitting your FPCA by email to  [email protected], or by fax to 610-344-5682. You may also mail your FPCA form to the County Board of Elections at:

Chester County Voter Services
601 Westtown Rd, Suite 150
West Chester, PA 19380

To be eligible to receive a primary absentee ballot, a voter must be registered with a political party to vote in a closed primary.

Absentee Ballot Delivery Options

Absentee Ballot by Email 
Absentee ballot materials can be delivered by email if you request this on your FPCA form. Your voted absentee ballot materials cannot be returned to the County Board of Elections by email or fax, it must be printed and returned by postal mail. To request your ballot be delivered by email:

  1. Mark the box in Section 5 of the FPCA form labeled "email preference".
  2. Provide an email address in Section 4 of the FPCA form. There is an option to provide an alternate/backup email address as well. 

Once you have completed your ballot, fold and place it in a blank envelope and seal. This will be the ‘Secrecy Envelope’ for your ballot. PLACE ONLY YOUR VOTED BALLOT IN THE SECRECY ENVELOPE. DO NOT WRITE ON THE SECRECY ENVELOPE. Insert your sealed Secrecy Envelope and completed Voter’s Declaration/Affirmation in another envelope and seal it.

Absentee Ballot by Postal Mail
Absentee ballot materials can be delivered by postal mail if you request this on your FPCA form. To request your ballot be delivered by postal mail:

  1. Mark the box that in Section 5 of the FPCA form labeled "mail preference". 
  2. Provide a mailing address in Section 3 of the FPCA form.

Returning Your Absentee Ballot

All voted Civilian Overseas, Active Duty Military, and Federal Absentee Ballots must be mailed back via postal mail, along with the completed voter's declaration no later than 11:59 PM on the day before the election, and must be received by the County Board of Elections no later than the Tuesday following the election.

Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot

If time does not permit you to receive and return an official absentee ballot and you have already applied for an absentee ballot, you are also entitled to vote using the Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot (FWAB). Military electors may use the FWAB to register to vote and vote simultaneously. 

You may use the FWAB to vote for all  state and local offices and ballot initiatives by writing candidates names or ballot initiatives in the Addendum section of the FWAB. Under the Office/Ballot Initiative heading, enter the office the candidate is running for or the title of the Ballot Initiative (referendum). Under the Candidate Name, Party Affiliation or Initiative Vote heading, list the name of the candidate you wish to vote for, or if you are voting on a Referendum questions write “yes” or “no.”

Your completed FWAB documents must be returned via post mail no later than 11:59 PM on the day before the election and must be received by the County Board of Elections no later than the Tuesday following the election.

The address of the County Board of Elections is:

Chester County Voter Services
601 Westtown Rd, Suite 150
West Chester, PA 19380

For more information about absentee voting for overseas and military voters, go to Federal Voting Assistance Program.