Council Post: Voting Matters—Even As A US Citizen Abroad

Nathalie Goldstein, MyExpatTaxes‘ CEO, helps Americans stay tax-compliant while living abroad with her user-friendly US expat tax software.

The 2024 U.S. federal elections are just around the corner, and it’s your duty, even as a U.S. citizen living abroad, to vote. Although voting is not mandatory, it is incredibly helpful for your family and your U.S. taxes. The federal elections only happen every four years, but state and local elections are happening annually, in which you can also vote.

Why Vote Abroad?

When you’ve chosen to live in another country as a U.S. citizen, it may not seem useful or logical to participate in the U.S. federal election. However, voting can influence many important factors, such as U.S. taxes.

When you’re part of the estimated 9 million U.S. expats living and paying taxes abroad, the U.S. elections are significant to your finances, as their results can affect U.S. taxation laws such as the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act and the citizenship-based taxation system. Your vote will not directly affect the taxation systems, but who you vote for could impact tax policies, if elected. For instance, U.S. expats would be impacted if changes were made to the foreign tax credit, foreign earned income exclusion or foreign housing exclusion.

Even a small number of votes could determine a state’s vote. In the 2020 federal election, Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin were among the battleground states. To put it into perspective, President Biden won Arizona and Georgia by fewer than 12,000 votes. In fact, these states allowed for Biden to win the 2020 election, and these same states may determine the outcome of the 2024 federal election.

When you vote, you are sending a clear message that expat concerns matter. However, voting is even more important and impactful if you plan on moving back to the U.S. You are not required to vote, but it is recommended because this could determine your future and the future of other U.S. expats in regards to taxation laws among other things.

Note that you do not need to file your taxes before voting in the federal election.

Eligibility To Vote

For U.S. citizens living in the U.S., voting is easy: You just go to the designated voting station in your area and vote. However, voting from abroad as a U.S. citizen can be more complicated. For U.S. expats, you could fly home to the U.S. just to vote, or you can check to see if you can receive an absentee ballot.

Even if you have not actually lived in the U.S., you may still be eligible to vote. This situation happens when you have a U.S. parent but have lived in another country your entire life. So, if you want to vote, you could potentially do so if you’re over 18.

Requesting And Receiving An Absentee Ballot

If you’re wondering how to register to vote from abroad, you can start by looking into absentee voting ballots. You can easily apply to get a ballot on the Federal Voting Assistance Program page. There, you can find the Federal Post Card Application webpage and follow the steps listed on it.

Unlike the standard U.S. tax deadlines, requesting and receiving absentee ballots will depend heavily on your home state. Some states request to receive your ballot at least seven days before the election date, while others want to receive it 15 or more days before. A good rule of thumb is to request your ballot at least two months before the election and send it 30 days before the deadline.

With this in mind, you should apply soon for your absentee ballot so you can vote in the 2024 federal election.

Common Issues And Potential Solutions

What Do You Do If You Don’t Receive Your Ballot?

First, you should make sure your personal information is up to date, and you are properly registered. If you still suspect your ballot has not been received, you can always check your status on your state’s website or the Federal Voting Assistance Program website.

What Are Some Solutions For Mailing Delays?

There are a few options when it comes to mailing delays:

1. Use a reliable international postal service.

2. Use tracking options, whether it’s through your state or your local postal service.

3. Send your ballot well in advance.

4. Double-check you have the right mailing address.

How To Resolve Issues With Ballot Rejections

You shouldn’t have to wonder whether your ballot was rejected because you should be notified. If you are notified, that’s a good time to ask questions about why your ballot was rejected. It could have been due to a missing signature or incorrect information.

If you have time, you can resubmit your ballot. Don’t worry if there is insufficient time, there is a solution for that, as well. You can fill out another form called the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot to ensure your vote is counted despite a mistake.

Your Influence From Abroad

You may think that your vote as a U.S. citizen does not matter when you’re living abroad; however, you would be incorrect. Being a U.S. citizen abroad actually still requires you to be a participating citizen, mostly regarding taxes. The U.S. is one of two countries that require citizens to file taxes even after moving abroad. Just keep this in mind: U.S. taxes are always changing, from totalization agreements to your postcard-sized tax forms. As U.S. expats are subject to worldwide taxation from America, you should also vote to ensure you are represented and heard accordingly.

You have the right to vote, and your vote matters. So don’t miss this opportunity to make a change that betters you.

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