California citizens living abroad can still vote in the November 3, 2026, election. Learn how to register by October 19, request an absentee ballot and return it on time.
A cousin working overseas, a friend studying in another country or a relative who moved abroad may still be able to vote in California’s November 3 election.
U.S. citizens who qualify as California overseas voters can register and vote by absentee ballot, even while living outside the country. But the deadline to register is October 19; six days away.
Here’s how to check eligibility, request a ballot and make sure your vote gets counted.
You must be a U.S. citizen to vote in California elections. Overseas voters generally qualify through their last residence in California. Special rules apply to some U.S. citizens born abroad whose parents or legal guardians last lived in California.
Green card holders and other noncitizens cannot vote in California state and federal elections.
If you previously lived in California and are now overseas, you can check the rules through the California Secretary of State’s overseas voting guide. For more context on voter eligibility, read our coverage of Latino voters and the Los Angeles mayoral election.
How to register and get a ballot
1. Register or update your information by October 19.
You can register online through California’s voter registration website. Overseas citizens can also complete the Federal Post Card Application, or FPCA, through the Federal Voting Assistance Program.
The FPCA can register an eligible voter and request a ballot at the same time. You can submit it to the elections office in the California county where you last lived. U.S. embassies and consulates can also provide the form.
You do not automatically have to submit a new FPCA every election year. California generally keeps eligible overseas voters registered for future elections, but you should update your information if your name, mailing address or other relevant registration details change.
2. Return your ballot as soon as it arrives.
For the November 3 election, a mailed ballot must be postmarked by Election Day and received by your county elections office no later than November 10.
The state recommends mailing your ballot early. International mail can take time, so do not wait until Election Day if you can avoid it.
Eligible overseas voters may also return ballots by fax under California’s rules. The ballot must reach the county elections office by 8 p.m. Pacific time on Election Day, and voters must include the required oath. A completed ballot cannot be returned by email.
Check the state’s official instructions for overseas voters to confirm the options available to you.
How many overseas voters are there?
Los Angeles County reported 31,157 military and overseas voters for the November 2022 general election. For the November 2024 presidential election, the county reported issuing 33,142 ballots to military and overseas voters.
Those figures measure different things. They do not tell us how many overseas voters returned ballots that were ultimately counted.
What if your ballot hasn’t arrived?
Do not assume it is too late. Contact your county elections office now if you requested a ballot and have not received it.
California requires county election officials to send ballots and voting materials to eligible military and overseas voters within the required 60-to-45-day period before an election. The September 19 deadline applied to sending ballots to eligible voters who had requested them by the applicable date.
If your official ballot has not arrived, you may be able to use the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot, or FWAB, as a backup. It is available through the Federal Voting Assistance Program. It can be used for eligible federal, state and local contests, including ballot measures.
If you submit a backup ballot and your official ballot arrives later, you can return the official ballot too. Election officials will count only one ballot.
What will be on your ballot?
Your ballot depends on the California address associated with your voting eligibility. The county voter guide lists the candidates and local contests for that area.
If your last California residence was in Los Angeles, check the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk for the voter guide and the contests that apply to your address.
Where to get help
For help registering, requesting a ballot or checking its status, contact the elections office in the California county where you last lived. You can find contact information through the California Secretary of State’s overseas voter resources.
If you are eligible to vote from abroad, taking care of the registration and ballot steps now gives your vote the best chance of being counted.
