Military/overseas votersTravis County Clerk Elections Division
Military and Overseas Voters
The Travis County Clerk's Elections Division gives high priority to the ballots of military and overseas voters. They are processed as quickly as ballots become available, making every effort to ensure that ballots will reach their intended recipients with sufficient time for a prompt return.
Members of the U.S. armed forces and merchant marines, their dependents, and U.S. citizens abroad are eligible to vote early by mail and, if necessary, to register to vote. (Federal voting law defines "overseas" as anywhere outside the United States, including Canada and Mexico.)
Federal Post Card Application
Military and overseas voters may use the regular registration and early voting by mail process available to all voters away from their home county on Election Day. However, there are special provisions for those who fill out a Federal Post Card Application (FPCA).
The FPCA is a request for absentee ballots and a voter registration application for military voters and voters temporarily overseas. Unregistered voters outside of the U.S. with no intent to return are given temporary registration for the life of the FPCA.
FPCA voters are eligible to receive email ballots for federal elections only. Please note that at this time marked ballots must be returned by mail.
FPCA applicants are encouraged to provide an email address if possible in order to expedite any communications that may be necessary once the application is received by our office.
Eligibility Period
When properly completed, this application is valid for one calendar year (through the last day of December). Once qualified to participate in the ballot by mail program, we will continue to send ballots to you at your overseas address for all applicable elections until your FPCA is canceled or the eligibility period expires. Should you attempt to vote in person in an election in which we have mailed a ballot to you, you will be required to complete an affidavit of cancellation prior to voting.
The FPCA should be submitted every time you change your mailing address. You may contact our office via fax, email or mail to update or cancel your FPCA status.
How to Submit an FPCA
You may mail your signed FPCA to Travis County Early Voting Clerk, P.O. Box 149325, Austin, TX 78714-9325, or you may submit your application by fax to 512-854-3969 or by email to election@co.travis.tx.us.
Applications sent by contract carrier (FedEx, UPS, etc.) must be sent to our street address: 5501 Airport Blvd, Austin, TX 78751-1410.
CHANGE OF ADDRESS - YOUR RESPONSIBILITY!
It is a voter’s responsibility to notify his or her local election official of mailing address changes (where the ballot is mailed). Many absentee voting materials are returned marked “Address Unknown.” This problem may be caused by changes in duty stations or overseas residence addresses, or by a return to a local address. An updated FPCA may be submitted with the current address information.
You may cancel your FPCA status by email, fax, or mail. Email us at election@co.travis.tx.us, fax us at 512-854-9075, or submit information by mail to us at P.O. Box 149325, Austin, TX 78714-9325.
Detailed information about eligibility requirements, the application process, types of elections, and ballot submission procedures are available on the web site of the Texas Secretary of State. For additional information, please visit the Federal Voting Assistance Program.
Voters with questions may contact us at any time for assistance.
Last Modified: Monday, January 23, 2012 12:07 PM
