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June 17, 2025 UNIFORMED-SERVICE AND OVERSEAS CITIZENS ELIGIBLE TO VOTE ABSENTEE

This is an official notice of the Primary Elections to be conducted in the Commonwealth of Virginia on June 17, 2025. If you are an absent military or overseas citizen eligible to vote in state and local elections, you may register to vote and submit an absentee ballot application electronically for a specific election or any elections up through the next year using the Department of Elections voter registration portal. Please note that a driver’s license or identification card issued by the Virginia DMV is required to complete the process online.  If you do not have a DMV-issued ID, you may also apply by using the federal postcard application (FPCA), available at the Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) website www.fvap.gov. Detailed instructions are provided by FVAP in the Virginia Voting Assistance Guide. You can submit your FPCA by scanned email attachment to your local general registrar's office, which can be found via the Local Election Office Look Up Tool. 

If you do not receive your state ballot in time, you may vote using a Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB), available at www.fvap.gov. You can identify all of the state, local offices and, if applicable, ballot measures that, as of this date, are expected to be on the ballot by visiting the Candidate Lists and visit ELECT's Citizen Portal to view your voter registration status.

Federal Post Card Application (FPCA)

If you are a legal Virginia resident but are not yet registered to vote, or need to change your voter registration, you may use the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) to register to vote and apply for your absentee ballot at the same time. FPCA’s are valid for all elections in the calendar year in which they are submitted and through the end of the next calendar year.

After you complete the FPCA, sign it and then you may either mail it to your local voter registration office, e-mail or fax it to your local voter registration office. You should complete the FPCA before you complete any other forms or applications relating to voter registration and/or absentee voting. You may also register and request absentee ballots using the Virginia voter registration application and absentee ballot application linked on this page. However, using the FPCA is recommended for the convenience of a single form allowing electronic submission of registration by fax or email. Applicants with a Virginia DMV driver’s license or identification card may also be able to apply to register online through the Department of Elections website.

The Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) website provides a Virginia Voting Assistance Guide explaining how to complete your FPCA. This guide provides dates for federal elections only. By submitting a complete FPCA in Virginia, you will be sent ballots for all elections in which you are eligible to vote through the end of the next calendar year. Federal forms and envelopes are available on the Election Materials page on www.fvap.gov.

Deadlines Applicable to Virginia Voters

  1. An applicant eligible under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) who is not currently registered in Virginia may simultaneously register to vote and request an Absentee Ballot by submitting a Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) by mail, e-mail, or fax.

    Non-military overseas citizens who are not currently registered to vote in Virginia must ensure a completed FPCA is received by the local election office by close of business on the final day of registration for the election, generally 22 days before an election, in order to be eligible to vote. Non-military overseas voters who no longer have a Virginia place of abode, will receive ballots for federal offices only, unless overseas employment information is provided (a qualifying spouse or dependent could provide that employment information).

    Active-duty uniformed-service voters, their spouses, and their dependents may register to vote or update their voter registration by mail after the final day of registration using the FPCA, an FWAB, or the Voter Registration and Absentee Ballot applications approved by the State Board of Elections. However, such applications must comply with the deadline for requesting ballots eleven (11) days before the election, with limited exceptions for emergencies. See Va. Code 24.2-419, 24.2-420.1, and 24.2-705.

    The FWAB may be used as backup if time is insufficient to receive and return an official ballot. Information is provided below regarding the use of the FWAB.

    NOTE: Active duty uniformed-service voters, qualifying family members, and overseas citizens temporarily residing outside the United States, are eligible for late registration in person up to and including the day of the election. See §24.2-420.1.

  2. Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) for applicants eligible under UOCAVA who are already registered in Virginia, or who are active-duty uniformed-service eligible for late registration, must be received by the local election office no later than 5:00 p.m. eleven (11) days before the election (unless there is a qualifying emergency). FPCAs can be submitted by mail, e-mail or fax.

  3. In-person early voters have until the Saturday immediately before the election to vote early at your local election office or a vote center.

  4. Qualifying emergencies (e.g., hospitalization) allow for the application to vote absentee through 2:00 p.m. the day before the election. See Va. Code 24.2-705.

Using a Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot (FWAB)

In the event that a qualified absentee voter does not receive a requested absentee ballot in a timely manner, the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB) serves as an emergency backup ballot. The FWAB is available to download from Federal Voting Assistance Program website: www.fvap.gov. Step-by-step instructions can be found in the Virginia Voting Assistance Guide provided by FVAP.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • If I have applied for an emailed absentee ballot, what should I expect to receive?
    • You should expect to receive the following documents:
      • Detailed instructions for voting and returning your ballot
      • Your ballot
      • A "B Envelope" to return your ballot
      • If needed, additional information specific to your voter registration status and absentee application
  • When should I expect to receive my ballot?
    • Virginia requires that requested absentee ballots be sent out no later than 45 days before most elections. Some cities and counties may send out their absentee ballots earlier, we recommend checking you mail or email a couple weeks earlier, around the first week in September for a November general election.
    • If you are receiving your absentee ballot via email, please check your spam or junk folder in addition to your inbox.
  • What is the deadline for my voted ballot to be returned?
    • Virginia requires the signed and voted ballot be postmarked before or on Election Day and be received by the local general registrar no later than noon on the third day following an election.
    • If your ballot is not received by this deadline, your vote will not count unless it can be proven that local election officials failed to send your ballot on time or a court extends the deadline.
  • Where do I send my voted ballot?
    • Your signed and voted ballot must be sent by mail to the local general registrar's office. The address for your local general registrar's office can be found on the instructions included with your ballot or by using the Local Election Office Look Up Tool.
    • Ballots cannot be accepted electronically, by email or fax.
    • Do not send your signed and voted ballot to ELECT or the State Board of Elections. This could delay processing your voted ballot, and your vote may not be counted.
  • If I have additional questions, who can I reach out to?
    • Your local general registrar
    • Virginia Department of Elections at info@elections.virginia.gov or call: 804-864-8901, toll free: 1-800-552-9745, TTY: 711.