Who Can Become A Military Or Overseas Voter
If you are eligible to vote in California, you can qualify as a "military or overseas voter" if you are absent from the county in which you are eligible to vote and you are:
- A member of the active or reserve components of the United States Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard; a Merchant Marine; a member of the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps; a member of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps of the United States; or a member on activated status of the National Guard or state militia;
- A spouse or dependent of a person described above; or
- A U.S. citizen living outside of the territorial limits of the U.S. or D.C.
A military or overseas voter has the right to register for, and to vote by, a vote-by-mail ballot in any California election, including any general, special, or primary election for any federal or statewide office or state ballot measure, as well as in any local contest held in the California precinct in which the voter was a resident when they last lived within the territorial limits of the U.S. or D.C. or, for a citizen born outside of the U.S., in the California precinct in which the citizen's parent or legal guardian resided when the parent or legal guardian last lived within the territorial limits of the U.S. or D.C.
Uniformed And Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA)
- Military or overseas voters qualify for certain assistance under federal law.
- UOCAVA voters may register and request a ballot by using the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) or online at the link below.
- Unlike civilian voters living within the United States, UOCAVA voters may submit their FPCA registration form via email or fax.
- UOCAVA voters also may receive their ballot as early as 60 days prior to Election Day. By law, UOCAVA voters who are registered must be sent their ballot no later than 45 days prior to Election Day.
UOCAVA Voting Option
- When registering to vote, a military or overseas voter can choose to receive their ballot by mail, by fax or electronically.
- UOCAVA voters can log into the San Joaquin County “Live Ballot” Portal and download his or her ballot electronically.
- If you would like to change how you receive your UOCAVA ballot, please update your voter registration.
Download you ballot electronically
Note: You must be Registered to Vote as a UOCAVA voter to use this system.
UOCAVA Ballot Return Options
By Mail
Return your ballot in the Green Return envelope provided with your ballot.
Return your ballot using the envelope provided in your return packet with your electronic ballot.
By Fax
Return your ballot by FAX to (209) 468-9534. Don't forget to include the Oath of Voter.
Please Note: When return your ballot by FAX you are giving up your right to vote a secret ballot.
Resources
Military & Overseas Voters | California Secretary of State
Federal Voting Assistance Program | FVAP.gov
