Location: Suriname and French Guiana
Absentee Voting Week is October 1-8, 2022.
It’s Time to Vote! Here are 5 Tips to Get Your Ballot Back On Time
Here are 5 tips to make sure your ballot makes it back to your local election office on time.
- Send by the recommended vote-by date. For U.S. citizens living abroad, that’s October 24. But no need to wait — you can vote, sign, and send your ballot as soon as it arrives.
- Ballots can travel by mail, email, or fax, depending on where you are registered.
- You can check the status of your ballot. Some states have online ballot status tools. If an online tool is not available, contact your election official directly.
- 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.
- 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.
Ballots for the November 8th general election are on their way to voters who requested them earlier this year and many voters have already returned their voted ballots.
You can still register and request your ballot from your state of legal residence today if you have not already done so – but remember that many states have registration deadlines approaching. You can use FVAP’s easy online assistant at https://www.fvap.gov/FPCA to walk you through each section of the form. After you finish filling out the FPCA, print it, sign and date it, and then send it directly to your election office. Most states accept the FPCA by email or fax while some require it by mail. Check your state-specific guidelines at FVAP.gov.
Once you receive your requested absentee ballot, vote and return it as soon as you get it. Remember to carefully follow the instructions, especially if a “security envelope” is required, and sign the package as indicated when returning it. To save time, you can send voted ballots electronically if allowed by state law. Check to see if your state accepts completed absentee ballots by email, fax, or via an online portal at FVAP.gov/guide.
If your requested ballot has not arrived, use the Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot (FWAB) immediately at https://www.fvap.gov/FWAB. It is a backup ballot, so if your official absentee ballot arrives after sending in the FWAB, complete and send in the official ballot, too. Only one will be counted.
You can also check the status of your ballot — some states have online ballot status tools – select your state at https://www.fvap.gov/citizen-voter and then click “Check the status of your voted ballot.” If an online tool is not available, contact your local election office directly at https://www.fvap.gov/search-offices.
Remember, your vote counts!
Assistance:
- U.S. Embassy Paramaribo, Suriname
- Phone number: +556-700
- Outside of normal business hours: +597-710-1112
- Email Address: caparamar@state.gov
- State Department – Consular Affairs
- 888-407-4747 or 202-501-4444
- Paramaribo, Suriname Country Specific Information
- Enroll in Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)to receive Alerts.
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