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Oregon Secretary of State Elections Division

Oregon UOCAVA Resources for Military & Overseas Voters

The Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) is a federal law passed in 1986 that protects absentee voting rights in federal elections for United States military service members, their families, and U.S. citizens living abroad.

Who Qualifies as a Military or Overseas Voter in Oregon?

You may register as a military or overseas voter if you are otherwise eligible to vote in Oregon and meet one of the following criteria:

  • Your most recent Oregon residence was the place you lived before being deployed or stationed as an active member of the uniformed services, including any branch of the U.S. Armed Forces, the commissioned corps of the U.S. Public Health Service, or the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; or U.S. Merchant Marines.
  • Your most recent Oregon residence was the place you lived before moving temporarily overseas.
  • You serve in an Oregon National Guard unit that has been activated in response to a national emergency.
  • You are the spouse or dependent of an Oregon resident who is a covered member of the uniformed services, the merchant marine, or a qualified overseas voter.

If you are the spouse or dependent of a qualified UOCAVA voter, have never lived in the United States, and intend to live in Oregon in the future, you may still register to vote using the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA – Form 76). Please follow the Never Lived in the U.S. FPCA Instructions when completing your ​​​​​​​ FPCA – Form 76.

Registering to Vote

Eligible military and overseas voters may register online - using an Oregon driver license, Oregon state ID, or the last four digits of their Social Security number.

  • The Federal Voting Assistance Program’s online system may also be used and does not require an Oregon driver license.
  • You must be registered at least 21 days before an election to vote.
  • If registering online, additional information may be required to ensure full access to all available voter services. Please review the UOCAVA Online Voter Registration Instructions before completing your Online Voter Registration or visiting My Vote to update your information.

UOCAVA Voting in Oregon

Review the Voters’ Pamphlet

When published, Voters’ Pamphlets are available on the Voters’ Pamphlet homepage. Pamphlets include candidate statements, measure information, and other helpful resources to support informed voting.

Receive Your Ballot

At least 45 days before Election Day, ballots are mailed to active registered UOCAVA voters.

Once ballots are mailed, military and overseas voters may also receive an email from their local election official with a link to Oregon’s Online Ballot Marking Tool, accessed through My Vote. Voters using the Online Ballot Marking Tool will be presented with their ballot, a Secret Ballot Waiver, and a copy of their ballot-return envelope containing the required voter affirmation.

Returning Your Ballot

Eligible voters may return their ballot in several ways:

  • By mail (USPS)
    • Ballots must be received—or mailed with a valid U.S. postmark—by 8 p.m. on Election Day.
    • Foreign postal markings cannot be used to determine timeliness.
    • We strongly recommend using U.S. Post Office branches at U.S. diplomatic missions or the U.S. Military Postal Service when mailing from overseas.
    • If returning a ballot via FedEx or another delivery service, the ballot envelope must contain a valid USPS postmark dated on or before Election Day in order to be counted.
  • By fax or email
    • Allowed for ballots mailed by your local election official or downloaded/printed through the Online Ballot Marking Tool.
    • Requires submission of the voted ballot, Secret Ballot Waiver Form and the signed ballot-return envelope.
  • Through a cloud-based Electronic Ballot Return System
    • Available only in counties that offer this option.

Track the status of your ballot at any time through My Vote.

Federal Write-in Absentee Ballots (FWAB) Instructions

The Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) provides an online backup ballot for military and overseas voters, at U.S. embassies and consulates, or through Voting Assistance Officers. The Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) provides a generic Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot (FWAB) for overseas and service voters who have not received their ballot by mail. This ballot permits the voter to write in their choices. (52 U.S.C. § 20302(a)(3), 52 U.S.C. § 20303(a)(1))