 If you requested an absentee ballot, it's on its way to you! Vote, sign, and send it back as soon as it arrives. Here are 5 tips to make sure your ballot makes it back to your local election office on time. 1. Send by the recommended vote-by date. - October 1 for for active duty service members on a ship at sea.
- October 24 for active duty service members stationed overseas.
- October 31 for active duty service members stationed stateside.
- But no need to wait — you can vote, sign, and send your ballot as soon as it arrives.
2. Ballots can travel by mail, email, or fax. See the map below for specific submission guidelines.  3. You can check the status of your ballot. Some states have online ballot status tools. Select your state and then click "Check the status of your voted ballot." If an online tool is not available contact your election official directly. 4. There's a backup ballot. If you haven't received your ballot by early October, use the Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot (FWAB) as a backup. The FWAB Online Assistant will autofill candidates based on your voting state. 5. You may still have time to request an absentee ballot. Select your state to see if you still have time to request an absentee ballot with the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA). Be sure to select to have the ballot sent to you electronically. | 
