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Member of the Military

If you are a member of the military and want to register to vote in Pennsylvania, you may submit a completed Federal Post Card Application (FPCA).  To receive the FPCA via e-mail, simply send an email from your email account to ST-UOCAVAApp@pa.gov.

Absentee Ballot Applications

If you are a member of the military and unable to attend your polling place in person on Election Day, you may be eligible to vote by absentee ballot. Absentee electors in military service may obtain an absentee ballot several ways:

  • Request that the state e-mail an absentee ballot application to your e-mail account. To do this, send an e-mail from your account to stsvcuocavaabs@pa.gov.
  • Complete and send a Federal Post Card Application Form (Federal Form Number 76A), distributed by the United States Department of Defense and send it to your County Election Office to request an absentee ballot.
  • Submit any other official absentee ballot application form to request an absentee ballot.

If you have questions regarding registering or voting in Pennsylvania as a member of the military or if you would like the state to mail you a paper voter registration or absentee ballot application, contact the Department of State by e-mailing ST-UOCAVAQues@pa.gov.

There are also several important things to keep in mind:

  • Only you or an adult member of your immediate family may submit your application for an absentee ballot.
  • If you are home on Election Day and have not voted by absentee ballot, you may, if registered, appear at your election district polling place and vote.
  • If you are not registered, you may apply in person and vote at the office of the County Board of Elections.
  • The County Board of Elections must receive original completed absentee ballot applications prior to Election Day.

Absentee Ballots

A military member may receive an absentee ballot electronically. If you want to receive your ballot in this manner, mark the e-mail preference in block 4 on your Federal Post Card Application Form (Federal Form Number 76A) or personally contact your local County Board of Elections office by e-mail or phone. You will be notified by e-mail when your ballot is available to download from www.pavoterservices.state.pa.us. If you do not choose to receive an absentee ballot electronically, your ballot will be mailed to you.

Members of the military voting by absentee ballot must have their ballots postmarked by 5 p.m. on the day before Election Day and received by the County Board of Elections by 5 p.m. seven days after Election Day.

Special Write-In Absentee Ballots

Members of the military who are outside the United States on Election Day might receive a special write-in absentee ballot. Election Officials use write-in ballots when they are required by law to provide absentee ballots to absentee voters, but official absentee ballots have not yet been printed.

The special write-in ballot includes all of the offices and questions that will appear on the official ballots for the election district, but not the names of the candidates for the offices. Instead, Election Officials will provide a separate list of candidates who have filed to appear on the official ballot and who have not withdrawn or had their names removed from the ballot by a court.

A special write-in absentee ballot returned to the County Board of Elections will be handled and counted the same way as an absentee ballot cast on an official absentee ballot.

Learn more about voting by absentee ballot.

Federal Voting Assistance Program

If you will be out of the country and wish to vote, the Federal Voting Assistance Program will guide you through the process.