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 West Virginia, if you are using this form to register to vote, you are not required to submit proof of citizenship. If you are submitting your documents by email/online or fax, it is recommended you use the most secure transmission method available to protect your personal information. Registering and requesting your absentee ballot Select the category that best describes you. Enter your current name (Last, First, Middle). 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 West Virginia-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 West Virginia-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. You do not need to have any current ties with this address. 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 email or 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 You can submit the FPCA by **mail, email,** or **fax**. 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." See the "Federal Election Deadlines" chart for the deadline for submitting the FPCA. 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 and requirements in the "Federal Election Deadlines" chart. For special federal elections, visit FVAP.gov for specific deadlines. You can submit the state absentee ballot by **mail, email, online,** or **fax**. Contact information 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 You **must** be registered to vote and have already requested a state absentee ballot in order to use the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB). You can use the FWAB to vote in all elections for federal, state and local offices, including ballot measures. 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, Middle). If you are registered under a different name, provide this information in the previous name area. Your date of birth is required. Section 1 Enter the complete street address of your voting residence where you are registered to vote. 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. You do not need to have any current ties with this address. Section 2 Enter your current mailing address. 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. Section 4 A. Do not check "Yes" or "No." **The FWAB cannot be used for voter registration or as a ballot request.** B. If you want to register to vote, request a ballot, or receive voting materials, you **must submit an FPCA** to your election official. 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. 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 You can submit the FWAB by **mail, email,** or **fax.** Contact information 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. How and where to submit your FWAB (mail) **Email your FWAB:** Once your FWAB is complete, sign and date the "Voter Information" page. Scan the signed "Voter Information" page, the "Official Backup Ballot" and the "Transmission Cover Sheet", found at the end of Chapter 1 or online at FVAP.gov, into your computer. Be sure to also sign the secrecy waiver on the "Transmission Cover Sheet." Email this ballot package directly to your election official. How and where to submit your FWAB (email) **Fax your FWAB:** Once your FWAB is complete, sign and date the "Voter Information" page. Fax the signed "Voter Information" page, the "Official Backup Ballot" and the "Transmission Cover Sheet", found at the end of Chapter 1 or online at FVAP.gov, directly to your election official. Be sure to also sign the secrecy waiver on the "Transmission Cover Sheet." 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. How and where to submit your FWAB (fax)