Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot
(FWAB SF-186)

Federal Voting Assistance Program
U.S. Department of Defense

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Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB)

Under the provisions of the UOCAVA, the FVAP also provides an emergency ballot, called the Federal Write In Absentee Ballot, or FWAB, can be used by a uniformed services voter who is absent from their voting jurisdiction or by a citizen residing outside the United States not receive his or her regular ballot from the state or territory.

Generally, a uniformed services voter or citizen residing outside the United States can only use the FWAB under very specific conditions.

THE ABSENT UNIFORMED SERVICES VOTER MUST:

Must be absent from his/her voting residence;
Have applied for a regular ballot early enough so the request is received by the appropriate local election official not later than the State deadline;

OR

the date that is 30 days before the general election;

AND
Have not received the requested regular absentee ballot from the state.

THE CITIZEN OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES MUST:

Be located outside the United States (including APO/FPO addresses);
Have applied for a regular ballot early enough so the request is received by the appropriate local election official not later than the State deadline;

OR

the date that is 30 days before the general election;

AND
Have not received the requested regular absentee ballot from the state.

Online version of the FWAB

FVAP has developed a fillable and Adobe Acrobat version of the form. The form is also savable using Adobe Acrobat Reader for future use. To read this file, you must have an Adobe Acrobat Reader Version 7 program. If you do not have Acrobat Reader loaded on your computer, you can download it free from Adobe's web site: www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html.

More detailed information about the FWAB itself is available at www.fvap.gov/pubs/vag/appendix_g.pdf and how to mail the online version of the FWAB to your voting jurisdiction is available at www.fvap.gov/pubs/onlinefwab.html.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FEDERAL WRITE-IN ABSENTEE BALLOT!

Warning when using Shared Computers:

A public (or shared) computer is any computer used by someone other than you. For example computers at Internet cafes, libraries, schools, shopping centers, hotels, airports, your friend's house even your roommate's or shared work computers.

The computer may save some of your personal data in temporary files. Please check the browser's help file to determine how to delete any private data that has been stored during your session.

Additional Information about the FWAB

Presently, the following states have expanded usage of the FWAB beyond the provisions of the UOCAVA:

State (PDF Format)
Colorado (pdf)
Connecticut (pdf)
Iowa (pdf)
Maryland (pdf)
Montana(pdf)
Nebraska (pdf)
North Dakota (pdf)
Oklahoma (pdf)
Rhode Island (pdf)
Texas (pdf)
Virginia (pdf)
West Virginia (pdf)

Consult the Voting Assistance Guide for specific state and territorial procedures.

At present, there are no provisions to allow for submission of the FWAB through the Internet.

Obtaining the Card Stock Form

Military and civilian Voting Assistance Officers can obtain supplies of the print version of the FWAB through their regular distribution channels or by contacting their Service or State Department Voting Action Officer..

Other overseas citizens may obtain supplies of the FWAB by contacting the FVAP directly at vote@fvap.ncr.gov.

Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot(FWAB SF-186)