What is UOCAVA? The *Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act* is commonly referred to as *UOCAVA*. *UOCAVA* citizens are U.S. citizens who are active members of the Uniformed Services, the Merchant Marine, the commissioned corps of the Public Health Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, their eligible family members and other U.S. citizens residing outside the United States. The law provides the legal basis for absentee voting requirements for federal offices. What is the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA)? The FPCA (Federal Standard Form 76) allows *UOCAVA* citizens to register to vote and request an absentee ballot. This form is also used to update your contact information. What is the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB)? The FWAB (Federal Standard Form 186) serves as an emergency backup ballot for *UOCAVA* citizens. If you do not receive your absentee ballot, or mail-in ballot, from your state in time to return it to your election official to participate in the election, use the FWAB. What is the Prepaid Mail Label 11- DoD? *Overseas Uniformed Service members* can use this label for general election absentee ballots. It provides free express mail service to your election official for general election absentee ballots. You can request to have a Prepaid Mail Label 11-DoD applied to your absentee ballot at Military Postal Office locations (APO/FPO). Keep part of the tracking label to track your absentee ballot through the U.S. Postal Service. What is a primary election? A primary election is an election held before the general election to determine the candidates that can be placed on the general election ballot. I am an American citizen, but I have never lived in the U.S., can I vote in this state? No. I am a National Guardsman activated on state orders; does my state afford me UOCAVA privileges? Yes. How can I check the status of my ballot? You can check the status of your absentee ballot here: [vote.md.gov/Search](https://voterservices.elections.maryland.gov/VoterSearch) Does my state have any online tools? You can see if your state has any online tools available here: [https://www.fvap.gov/maryland](https://www.fvap.gov/maryland) 2026-06-02T00:00:00 By Mail: Postmarked by 2026-06-23T00:00:00 State Primary 2026-06-02T00:00:00 By Online System: Received by 2026-06-23T00:00:00 State Primary 2026-10-13T00:00:00 By Mail: Postmarked by 2026-11-03T00:00:00 General Election 2026-10-13T00:00:00 By Online System: Received by 2026-11-03T00:00:00 General Election 2026-06-16T00:00:00 Request Mail or Faxed Ballot: Received by 2026-06-23T00:00:00 State Primary 2026-06-19T00:00:00 Request Email/Online Ballot: Received by 2026-06-23T00:00:00 State Primary 2026-10-27T00:00:00 Request Mail or Faxed Ballot: Received by 2026-11-03T00:00:00 General Election 2026-10-30T00:00:00 Request Email/Online Ballot: Received by 2026-11-03T00:00:00 General Election 2026-06-23T00:00:00 Postmarked by* 2026-06-23T00:00:00 State Primary 2026-11-03T00:00:00 Postmarked by* 2026-11-03T00:00:00 General Election Under federal law, the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) registers you to vote and requests absentee ballots for a minimum of all federal elections in the current calendar year. Be sure to complete a new FPCA each year and every time your address changes. In Maryland, if you are using this form to register to vote, you are not required to submit proof of citizenship. Registering and requesting your absentee ballot Select the category that best describes you. Enter your current name (Last, First). If you are registered under a different name, provide this information in the previous name area. Your date of birth is required. You must provide your Maryland-issued ID number **or** the last four digits of your Social Security Number. If you do not have any of these numbers you must enter in Section 6: "I do not have a Social Security Number or Maryland-issued ID number." Section 1 Enter the complete street address of your voting residence where you are registering to vote and requesting an absentee ballot. You cannot use a post office box as your residence address. If your address is a rural route, use Section 6 to describe the location of your voting residence. Section 2 Enter your current mailing address, even if you are requesting your ballot by email or online, or fax. If you want your election materials sent to a different address or have a forwarding address, use the forwarding address space to provide this information. Section 3 Your contact information is recommended so your election official can contact you if they need additional information from you in order to accept your FPCA. If you want to receive your absentee ballot by online or fax, you must provide your email address or fax number. Section 4 A. Select your preferred method of receiving your absentee ballot. You can choose to receive your absentee ballot by "mail", "email or online", or "fax." B. To vote in primary elections, you must enter the name of the party ballot you want to receive. Political party affiliation is not required if requesting an absentee ballot for general elections. Section 5 Provide any information that may assist your election official in accepting this form. You can use this space to designate particular elections or the period you wish to receive ballots. Section 6 Sign and date the form. No witness signature required. Section 7 If you are using the FPCA to **register to vote**, you **must mail** the form or use Maryland's **online voter registration system** (vote.md.gov/Register). If you are already registered and are using the FPCA to **request** an absentee ballot, you can **mail, email,** or **fax** your signed form to your election official or use Maryland's **online voter registration system** (vote.md.gov/Register). Contact information can be found in the "Local Election Offices" section or online at FVAP.gov. Introduction **Mail your FPCA:** Once your FPCA is complete, sign and date the form. Mail your FPCA directly to your election official. How and where to submit your FPCA (mail) **Email your FPCA:** Once your FPCA is complete, sign and date the form. Scan the signed FPCA into your computer. Be sure to also include the "Transmission Cover Sheet." Email this package directly to your election official. How and where to submit your FPCA (email) **Fax your FPCA:** Once your FPCA is complete, sign and date the form. Fax your FPCA directly to your election official. Be sure to also include the "Transmission Cover Sheet." How and where to submit your FPCA (Fax) To find out the status of your FPCA, contact your election official. Your election official will contact you if your FPCA is not accepted. Follow-up on your FPCA Once you receive your absentee ballot from your state it must be returned according to the deadlines provided in the "Federal Election Deadlines" chart. For special federal elections, visit FVAP.gov for specific deadlines. The state absentee ballot **must be mailed** to your election official. The address of your election official can be found in the "Local Election Offices" section. *Overseas Uniformed Service members* can request to have the Prepaid Mail Label 11-DoD applied to the general election ballot. Additional information about this label can be found in the "Important Information" section. Voting your ballot The Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB) can be used to register to vote. If you are using the FWAB to register to vote, it **must** be received by the registration deadline listed in the "Federal Election Deadlines" chart. **U.S. citizens residing outside the United States whose return is not certain** can use the FWAB to vote in all elections for federal office. **All other *UOCAVA* voters** can use the FWAB to vote in all elections for federal, state and local offices, including ballot measures. In Maryland, if you are using this form to register to vote, you are not required to submit proof of citizenship. Haven't received your ballot? Use the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot Select the category that best describes you. Enter your current name (Last, First). If you are registered under a different name, provide this information in the previous name area. Your date of birth is required. You must provide your Maryland-issued ID number **or** the last four digits of your Social Security Number. If you do not have any of these numbers you must enter in Section 6: "I do not have a Social Security Number or Maryland-issued ID number." Section 1 Enter the complete street address of your voting residence where you are registering to vote and requesting an absentee ballot. You cannot use a post office box as your residence address. If your address is a rural route, use Section 6 to describe the location of your voting residence. Section 2 Enter your current mailing address, even if you are requesting your ballot by email or online, or fax. If you want your election materials sent to a different address or have a forwarding address, use the forwarding address space to provide this information. Section 3 Your contact information is recommended so your election official can contact you if they need additional information from you in order to accept your FWAB. If you want to receive your absentee ballot by online or fax, you must provide your email address or fax number. Section 4 A. Check "Yes" if you would like to register to vote and/or request an absentee ballot, otherwise check "No." B. Select your preferred method of receiving your absentee ballot. You can choose to receive your absentee ballot by "mail", "email or online", or "fax." C. To vote in primary elections, you must enter the name of the party primary in which you are voting. Political party affiliation is not required if voting an absentee ballot in general elections. Section 5 Provide any information that may assist the election official in accepting this form. You can use this space to designate particular elections or the period you wish to receive ballots. Section 6 Sign and date the form. No witness signature required. Section 7 To vote, write in either a candidate's name or political party for each office. You are not required to make a selection for each and every contest. Vote your FWAB The FWAB **must be mailed** to your election official. Addresses can be found in the "Local Election Offices" section or online at FVAP.gov. Introduction **Mail your FWAB:** Once your FWAB is complete, sign and date the "Voter Information" page. Fold along the dotted line and seal the completed "Official Backup Ballot", do not write on the "Official Ballot" envelope. Insert the sealed "Official Ballot" envelope and the "Voter Information" page into the mailing envelope and mail your FWAB directly to your election official. *Overseas Uniformed Service members* can request to have the Prepaid Mail Label 11-DoD applied to the general election ballot. Additional information about this label can be found in the "Important Information" section or online at FVAP.gov. See the "Federal Election Deadlines" chart for the deadline for submitting the FWAB. If you receive the state absentee ballot after transmitting your voted FWAB, you may also vote and return the state absentee ballot. If both are received by the deadline, only the state absentee ballot will be counted. **Use this QR code for the most up to date local election contact information:** ??????????.'??????????. . . . . . . How and where to submit your FWAB (mail)

701 Kelly Road, Suite 231 Cumberland Maryland 21502-3401

elections@alleganygov.org (301) 777-5931 (301) 777-2430 Allegany

P.O. Box 490 Glen Burnie Maryland 21060-0490

elections@aacounty.org (410) 222-6600 (410) 222-6833 Anne Arundel

417 E. Fayette Street, Room 129 Baltimore Maryland 21202-3432

election.judge@baltimorecity.gov (410) 396-5550 (410) 962-8747 Baltimore City

5 Crossing Way Owings Mills Maryland 21117

elections@baltimorecountymd.gov (410) 887-5700 (410) 887-0894 Baltimore County

P.O. Box 798 Prince Frederick Maryland 20678-0798

elections@calvertcountymd.gov (410) 535-2214 (410) 535-5009 Calvert

403 S. Seventh Street, Suite 247 Denton Maryland 21629-1335

election@carolinemd.org (410) 479-8145 (410) 479-5736 Caroline

P.O. Box 3191 Westminster Maryland 21158

ccboe@carrollcountymd.gov (410) 386-2080 (410) 876-3925 Carroll

200 Chesapeake Blvd., Suite 1900 Elkton Maryland 21921-6395

voting@ccgov.org (410) 996-5310 (888) 979-8183 Cecil

P.O. Box 908 La Plata Maryland 20646-0908

elections@charlescountymd.gov (301) 934-8972 (301) 934-6487 Charles

P.O. Box 414 Cambridge Maryland 21613-0414

Gwendolyn.dales@maryland.gov (410) 228-2560 (410) 228-9635 Dorchester

8490 Progress Drive Frederick Maryland 21701

electionboard@FrederickCountyMD.gov (301) 600-8683 (301) 600-2344 Frederick

2008 Maryland Highway, Suite 1 Mountain Lake Park Maryland 21550

sfratz@garrettcounty.org (301) 334-6985 (301) 334-6988 Garrett

133 Industry Lane Forest Hill Maryland 21050

elections@harfordcountymd.gov (410) 638-3565 (410) 638-3310 Harford

9770 Patuxent Woods Drive, Suite 200 Columbia Maryland 21045

gmickley@howardcountymd.gov (410) 313-5820 (410) 313-5833 Howard

135 Dixon Drive Chestertown Maryland 21620-1141

elections@kentgov.org (410) 778-0038 (410) 778-0265 Kent

P.O. Box 10159 Rockville Maryland 20849-0159

absentee@montgomerycountymd.gov (240) 777-8550 (240) 777-8505 Montgomery

P.O. Box 10369 Rockville Maryland 20849-0369

absentee@montgomerycountymd.gov (240) 777-8500 (240) 777-8505 Montgomery

1100 Mercantile Lane, Suite 115A Largo Maryland 20774

election@co.pg.md.us (301) 341-7300 (301) 341-7391 Prince George's

110 Vincit Street, Suite 102 Centreville Maryland 21617

Christine.Jones@maryland.gov (410) 758-0832 (410) 758-1119 Queen Anne's

P.O. Box 197 Leonardtown Maryland 20650-0197

wendy.adkins@co.saint-marys.md.us (301) 475-4200 x71614 (301) 475-4077 Saint Mary's

P.O. Box 96 Princess Anne Maryland 21853-0096

elections.somersetco@maryland.gov (410) 651-0767 (410) 651-5130 Somerset

P.O. Box 353 Easton Maryland 21601-0353

talbot.elections@maryland.gov (410) 770-8099 (410) 770-8078 Talbot

17718 Virginia Ave Hagerstown Maryland 21740

washco.elections@maryland.gov (240) 313-2050 (240) 313-2062 Washington

P.O. Box 4091 Salisbury Maryland 21803-4091

wicomico.elections@maryland.gov (410) 548-4830 (410) 548-4849 Wicomico

201 Belt Street, Suite C Snow Hill Maryland 21863-1310

worcester.elections@maryland.gov (410) 632-1320 (410) 632-3031 Worcester