There are special voting options for active duty members of the US Armed Forces, the Merchant Marine, their spouses and dependents, and US citizens residing overseas. These are known as “UOCAVA voters.” These options give UOCAVA voters additional flexibility when registering to vote and when voting-by-mail.
Voter Registration
You can register to vote using any of the options available to other voters - see our Register to Vote page for further information. When registering to vote, make sure to check the military or overseas status boxes on the application.
In addition, you can use the Federal Post-Card Application to register to vote and request a Vote-by-Mail ballot at the same time.
Extended Voter Registration Deadline
Normally, the deadline to register to vote is 29 days before an election. An extended voter registration deadline is available to certain voters and accompanying family members:
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Voters who have been discharged or separated from the uniformed services or the U.S. Merchant Marine
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Voters who have returned from a military deployment or activation
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Voters who have separated from employment outside the territorial limits of the U.S.
The extended deadline is 5 p.m. on the Friday before an election. If the extended deadline applies to you, please contact us so we can help you.
Requesting Your Vote-By-Mail Ballot
You can request your Vote-by-Mail ballot using any of the options available to other voters. See our Vote-by-Mail page for further information.
In addition, you can use the Federal Post-Card Application to register to vote and request a Vote-by-Mail ballot at the same time.
When completing your Vote-by-Mail ballot request, you can ask for your ballot be sent by any of these methods:
Delivery of Vote-by-Mail Ballot
Your ballot will be sent to you within 45 days of Election Day. This is earlier than other voters and gives you additional time to receive and return your ballot.
Your ballot will be sent using the method you selected on your Vote-by-Mail ballot request.
Online Ballot Portal
We provide online ballot access to UOCAVA voters through Enhanced Ballot. This reduces delivery time as you can access your ballot shortly after we process your request. Note that you cannot return your ballot through the portal.
If you are a UOCAVA voter and would like to use Enhanced Ballot to access your Vote-by-Mail ballot, you can do so through this link: leonvotes.gov/Enhanced-Ballot. You will need to enter the PIN number that was sent to you previously. If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact us at (850) 606-8683 or email at:VBM@LeonVotes.gov.
Completing and Returning Your Ballot
You will receive instructions with your ballot. Make sure to sign the certificate on the envelope. If you do not sign the certificate, or your signature does not match, your ballot may not count. We will contact you and give you the opportunity to fix the signature issue.
You can return your ballot using these options:
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Mail: Make sure to use proper postage. Mail your ballot well in advance of Election Day so the Post Office can deliver it in time for it to be counted.
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Delivery Service: Enclose your ballot and signed certificate in a separate envelope and send by USPS Priority Mail, FedEx, UPS, or another carrier. Please send to our physical address at 2990-1 Apalachee Parkway, Tallahassee, FL 32301.
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Fax: If you are overseas (both domestic or military) you have the option to return your ballot and signed certificate by fax. Instructions are included with your ballot.
If you are having difficulty returning your ballot, the Federal Voting Assistance Program’s DoD Fax Service can help.
Return Deadline
Normally, your ballot must be received by our office by 7 p.m. on Election Day. However, a 10-day extension exists for overseas voters (both domestic and military) in the following elections:
To use this extension, your ballot must be postmarked or dated by Election Day and received within 10 days of Election Day.
Special Ballots
Two types of special Vote-by-Mail ballots are available to UOCAVA voters. These ballots help ensure that you can vote even if a problem may prevent you from voting normally.
State Write-in Absentee Ballots
If you believe that military service or other issues will prevent you from voting a regular Vote-by-Mail ballot, you can request a State Write-in Absentee Ballot. This option is available to overseas voters (both military and domestic). The State Write-in Absentee Ballot lists only the races. You will need to write-in the names of candidates or political parties that you are voting for.
If you would like to request a State-Write in Absentee Ballot, please contact us at Vote@LeonVotes.gov. We will make the ballot available to you starting 180 days before Election Day.
Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot
If Election Day is approaching and you have not received your Vote-by-Mail ballot, you can use a Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot. It is a back-up option in case you requested your Vote-by-Mail ballot but never received it.
Follow the instruction on the form to complete and return it to our office.
Additional Information
If you have questions about registering to vote or voting-by-mail, contact us for help:
Further information for military and overseas voters is available through the Federal Voting Assistant Program.