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 or an absentee ballot request through your state’s portal each year to participate in elections as an overseas absentee voter.
Get ready to exercise your right to vote by following the voter registration and ballot request steps outlined below. Voting Assistance Officers at the U.S. Embassy and Consulates General in Brazil are here to help. Prepare early this year to ensure your ballot arrives on time!
Our Voting Assistance Officers are available during normal business hours to answer questions and provide assistance by phone and email. You can also mail us your completed Federal Post Card Application for delivery to the United States free of charge by following the instructions below.
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, professional courier service, or through the U.S. Embassy and Consulates General in Brazil as described above. You will need to place your ballot in a postage-paid return envelope (an envelope bearing sufficient U.S. postage) in order for it to be delivered to the proper local election authorities.
If you would like us to forward your ballot for you, please mail your prepared, sealed ballot to the U.S. Embassy or nearest Consulate General. To do so, place your completed ballot in a postage-paid envelope addressed to your local election officials. Then, place the sealed envelope in a separate envelope, addressed to the U.S. Embassy or nearest Consulate General, with the words “VOTING MATERIAL ENCLOSED” printed on the front of the envelope. Specific mailing address information for the U.S. Embassy in Brasilia or nearest Consulate General is listed below. As delivery times are currently taking longer than usual, prepare and mail your ballot as early as possible to ensure it arrives in the United States on time.
Researching the Candidates and Issues: Online Resources. 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 Voter Assistance Officers at the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Brazil using the correspondence addresses below:
U.S. Embassy Brasilia
SES – Av. das Nações, Quadra 801, Lote 03
70403-900 – Brasília, DF
Phone: (61) 3312-7000
E-mail: VoteBrasilia@state.gov
U.S. Consulate General Recife
Rua Goncalves Maia, 163
Bairro Boa Vista Recife, PE – 50070-125
Phone: (81) 3416-3050
Email: VoteRecife@state.gov
U.S. Consulate General Rio de Janeiro
Av. Presidente Wilson, 147 Castelo
Rio de Janeiro, RJ – 20030-020
Phone: (21) 3823-2000
Email: VoteRioDeJaneiro@state.gov
U.S. Consulate General São Paulo
Rua Henri Dunant, 500,
Chácara Santo Antonio,
São Paulo, SP – 04709-110
Phone: (11) 3250-5000
E-mail: VoteSaoPaulo@state.gov
U.S. Consulate General Porto Alegre
Rua Bezerra de Menezes, 82
Passo d’Areia,
Porto Alegre, RS – 91350-130
Phone: (51) 3345-6000
E-mail: VotePortoAlegre@state.gov
Remember, your vote counts!
