SOME INFORMATION FOR AMERICANS ABROAD

Barn with dandelions, Stockbridge, Vermont
_Kristin Lord 1997

VOTING:

    All adult United States citizens  have the right to vote for President and Vice-President. US citizens living abroad who will be 18 by the time of the next Presidential election, including citizens and dual citizens who have never lived or voted in the US. In order to vote you will need to know the town where you last lived or were last registered; you cannot change your US residence while you are out of the country.

    To get information on voting from outside the country, I have provided links to several sources which are generally considered reliable. Although those who know me well are aware that I have definite political opinions, I am attempting to avoid partisan bias on this page in the interests of the wide range of people who access my website. I have, however, made a practical decision to limit the number of partisan sources on this page to those representing the four best known Presidential candidates in the 2008 election.

Non-partisan information:

• American Citizens Abroad (provides a wide array of information and services, including voting information)
• votefromabroad.org (provides quick and easy access for overseas voters from all states to absentee ballots)

Information from particular parties and candidates (in alphabetical order by party):

• Democrats Abroad (Presidential candidate, Barack Obama)
• Independent candidate Ralph Nader
• Libertarian candidate, Bob Barr
• Republicans Abroad (Presidential candidate, John McCain)

Special note for Vermont voters:

• Vermont residents should also check the voting FAQ's from the website of the Vermont Secretary of State. In general, Vermont voters who have taken the Voter's Oath (formerly known as the Freeman's Oath) can remain on the voting checklists while out of the country. They cannot, however, change their town of residence while abroad.

OTHER USEFUL INFORMATION:

The US Department of State has a web site with a wide range of information for citizens abroad, including consular services (e.g., the replacement of lost passports), international adoption, travel advice, and emergency assistance.

Disclaimer: while I have made every attempt to provide accurate information, I cannot be certain that this page is free from errors. If you find a mistake or a broken link, please feel free to contact me via my office telephone at (519) 884-1970.

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page last modified June 25, 2008