VVA Chapter PI 887

MESSAGE FOR U.S. CITIZENS: A drop box for election materials has been added at the Veterans Affairs Regional Manila office (August 7, 2020)

Cast your vote! Voters now have the option to drop off completed voter forms and ballots at either of these locations:

U.S. EMBASSY IN MANILA

Public Entrance

1201 Roxas Boulevard, Ermita, Manila

8:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., Monday – Friday, except holidays

VETERANS AFFAIRS REGIONAL MANILA OFFICE

1501 Roxas Boulevard, Pasay, Manila

7:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., Monday – Friday, except holidays

Voters may also mail in completed forms and ballots to the address below, and the embassy will forward the items to the United States. Please make sure that your voter document is in a pre-paid envelope or that it has sufficient postage. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, please expect delays with domestic and international mail.

American Citizen Services Unit (Consular)

ATTN: Voter Information

U.S. Embassy Manila

1201 Roxas Boulevard

Ermita, Manila, Philippines 1000

In order to vote in the November 2020 elections, all overseas U.S. citizens must complete a Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) in 2020. Whether you are a first-time voter or have already received ballots and voted absentee in past elections, you must complete an FPCA each year to participate in elections as an overseas absentee voter. 

Registering to vote and submitting a ballot is fast, easy, and can be done from anywhere in the world! Follow these simple steps to vote in the 2020 U.S. elections:

1. REGISTER TO VOTE: Confirm your voter registration with your state. Some states require absentee voters to register annually, so you may need to re-register. Go to FVAP.gov to connect to your state’s voter portal to register to vote, request a ballot, and more.

2. REQUEST YOUR BALLOT: Most states provide the option to request ballots through their state election portals, which you can easily access via FVAP.gov. You can also choose to complete a Federal Post Card Application (FPCA). The completion of the FPCA allows you to request absentee ballots for all elections for federal offices (President, U.S. Senate, and U.S. House of Representatives), including primaries and special elections, during the calendar year in which it is submitted. FPCA forms that are correctly filled out and include a signature and date are accepted by all local election officials in every U.S. state and territory. FVAP’s easy online assistant can assist you with completing the FPCA. 

Whether you request your ballot through your state’s portal or the FPCA, we encourage you to select the option to receive your ballot electronically (by email, internet download, or fax) when available. This is the fastest way to get your ballot and ensures you have it in time to return a completed form before your state’s deadline.

3. RECEIVE AND COMPLETE YOUR BALLOT: States are required to send out ballots 45 days before a regular election for federal office, and states generally send out ballots at least 30 days before primary elections. Most states allow you to confirm your ballot delivery online.

4. RETURN YOUR COMPLETED, SIGNED BALLOT: Some states allow you to return your completed ballot electronically. If your state requires you to return paper voting forms or ballots to local election officials by mail, you can do so through international mail, professional courier service, or drop off at the U.S. Embassy in Manila or the VA Regional Office. You will need to place your ballots in pre-paid return envelopes or in envelopes bearing sufficient U.S. postage, in order for them to be delivered to the proper local election authorities once received by the U.S. sorting facility. The Embassy does not sell U.S. postage.

It may take weeks for mail to reach its destination if sent by an embassy or consulate. All overseas U.S. citizens are advised to submit their forms and ballots accordingly. Ballots will be received and forwarded whenever submitted but you may want to consider using a courier service or other global shipping provider if submitting your ballot close to or after the stated delivery date for pouch mail.

Visit the FVAP website for helpful resources to aid your research of candidates and issues. For information about election dates and deadlines, subscribe to FVAP’s Voting Alerts (vote@fvap.gov). FVAP also shares Voting Alerts via Facebook (Federal Voting Assistance Program – FVAP), Twitter (@FVAP), and Instagram (@fvapgov).

Learn more at the Federal Voting Assistance Program’s (FVAP) website, FVAP.gov.  If you have any questions about registering to vote overseas, please contact U.S. Embassy Manila’s American Citizen Services Unit at ACSinfoManila@state.gov.

REMEMBER, YOUR VOTE COUNTS!

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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:

• See the State Department’s travel website (https://travel.state.gov/) for the Worldwide Caution, Travel Advisories, Alerts, and the Philippines Country Specific Information (https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Philippines.html). 

• Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency: https://step.state.gov/  

• Contact the U.S. Embassy in Manila, Philippines, located at 1201 Roxas Boulevard, at +63 (2) 5301-2000, from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. After-hours emergency number for U.S. citizens is +63 (2) 5301-2000. 

• Call 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States and Canada or 1-202-501-4444 from other countries from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).  • Follow us on Twitter (@USEmbassyPH) and Facebook (U.S. Embassy in the Philippines)