Overseas Voting
Have a say in
our country's
future. One of
our most treasured
values is the right and
the privilege to vote -
to participate actively
in our country's
democratic process.
This November, U.S.
citizens will elect a
President, a Vice
President, one-third of
the Senate, and the
entire House of
Representatives. The
U.S. Consulate General
Melbourne encourages
all U.S. citizens to
participate in this
year's elections, and
stands ready to help
you vote.
Almost all
overseas U.S. citizens
can vote.
Twenty-two states and
the District of
Columbia now allow
adult children who have
never resided in the
United States to vote
using their parents'
state of voting
residence. Details are
available on the
FVAP website.
Register and
request a
ballot. To
vote, new laws require
you to complete and
submit a Federal Post
Card Application (FPCA)
this calendar year. The
FPCA allows you to
register to vote and
request an absentee
ballot. If you haven't
yet done so, we urge
you to do so now. The
easiest way to complete
it is online at
www.FVAP.gov
. Depending on your
State's rules, you then
send it to your local
election officials
electronically or by
mail.
The Consulate General
is at 553 St. Kilda
Road (Tram stop #26 if
you are coming in from
the city). The Consular
Section will receive
your forms/ballots
between 9:00AM &
3:30PM, Monday through
Friday. You do not
require an appointment
to drop off the
forms/ballots. Print
out the completed FPCA
and the (U.S.)
postage-paid envelope
containing the address
of your local election
officials. We will mail
the postage-paid
envelope (containing
your FPCA) back home
for you without the
need to pay
international postage.
Posting it through the
Consulate General could
take between 7 and 10
days to reach its U.S.
destination.
If you are
mailing the
ballots/forms to
us:
Our postal address is
P.O. Box 6722, St.
Kilda Road Central, VIC
8008.
Please ensure that you
address the form/ballot
to the Voting Registrar
in your particular
County in the State
that you are
registering for.
Enclose the
forms/ballots in a
separate envelope
addressed to the
Consulate General.
Please do not address
the form/ballot to the
Consulate General.
If you are
using the Australian
mail service:
If it's easier for you
to use Australia Post,
be sure to affix
sufficient
international postage
and allow sufficient
time for international
mail delivery.
Make your vote
count! Follow
your State's absentee
voting procedures
carefully. Send in your
FPCA before the
registration deadline.
When you get your
ballot, vote and mail
it promptly so it
reaches local election
officials by your
State's absentee ballot
receipt deadline.
Need help or
have
questions? If
you have any questions
about registering to
vote, please contact
the Voting Assistance
Officer at Consulate
General Melbourne
(phone: 03-9526-5963)
or via email at
VoteMelbourne@state.gov.
IMPORTANT
INFORMATION:
New absentee voting
laws are in effect for
the 2012 elections. You
may no longer
automatically receive
ballots based on a
previous absentee
ballot request. All
U.S. citizens outside
the United States who
want to vote by
absentee ballot in U.S.
elections should
complete a new Federal
Post Card Application
(FPCA) every year.
States are now required
to send out ballots 45
days before an
election. No matter
what State you vote in,
you can now ask your
local election
officials to provide
your blank ballots to
you electronically (by
email, internet
download, or fax,
depending on your
State). You can now
also confirm your
registration and ballot
delivery online. Be
sure to include your
email address on the
form to take advantage
of the electronic
ballot delivery option.
This is the fastest and
most reliable way to
receive your ballot on
time, and we strongly
recommend every voter
take advantage of it.
Learn more at the
Federal Voting
Assistance Program's
(FVAP) website
atwww.FVAP.gov
.
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