Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico

www.ceepur.org

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Upcoming Elections

No Federal Elections Scheduled

Please mail your voting materials early enough to account for mail delivery times. Check the recommended mailing dates section in Chapter 1 for details.

Important information

What is UOCAVA?

The Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act is commonly referred to as UOCAVA. UOCAVA citizens are U.S. citizens who are active members of the Uniformed Services, the Merchant Marine, the commissioned corps of the Public Health Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, their eligible family members and other U.S. citizens residing outside the United States. The law provides the legal basis for absentee voting requirements for federal offices.

What is the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA)?

The FPCA (Federal Standard Form 76) allows UOCAVA citizens to register to vote and request an absentee ballot. This form is also used to update your contact information.

What is temporary registration?

The FPCA will only temporarily register you to vote. This means that you will be registered and can vote in the elections in which the FPCA allows you to do so.

What is the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB)?

The FWAB (Federal Standard Form 186) serves as an emergency backup ballot for UOCAVA citizens. If you do not receive your absentee ballot from your territory in time to return it to your election official to participate in the election, use the FWAB.

What is the Prepaid Mail Label 11- DoD?

Overseas Uniformed Service members can use this label for general election absentee ballots. It provides free express mail service to your election official for general election absentee ballots. You can request to have a Prepaid Mail Label 11-DoD applied to your absentee ballot at Military Postal Office locations (APO/FPO). Keep part of the tracking label to track your absentee ballot through the U.S. Postal Service.

What is a primary election?

A primary election is an election held before the general election to determine the candidates that can be placed on the general election ballot.

I am an American citizen, but I have never lived in the U.S., can I vote in this territory?

No.

I am a National Guardsman activated on territorial orders; does my territory afford me UOCAVA privileges?

Yes.

How can I check the status of my ballot?

You can check the status of your absentee ballot here:
By phone: (787) 764-5601 or by email: java@cee.pr.gov.

Does my territory have any online tools?

You can see if your territory has any online tools available here:
https://www.fvap.gov/puerto-rico

Registering and requesting your absentee ballot

Under federal law, the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) temporarily registers you to vote and requests absentee ballots for a minimum of all federal elections in the current calendar year. Be sure to complete a new FPCA each year and every time your address changes.

Complete the following sections of the FPCA

Section 1

Select the category that best describes you.
Enter your current name (Last, First). If you are registered under a different name, provide this information in the previous name area.
Your date of birth is required.
You must provide your Puerto Rico-issued ID number or the last four digits of your Social Security Number. If you do not have any of these numbers you must enter in Section 6: "I do not have a Social Security Number or Puerto Rico-issued ID number."
Section 2

Enter the complete street address of your voting residence where you are registering to vote and requesting an absentee ballot. You cannot use a post office box mailing address. If your address is a rural route, use Section 6 to describe the location of your voting residence.
Section 3

Enter your current mailing address, even if you are requesting your ballot by email. If you want your election materials sent to a different address or have a forwarding address, use the forwarding address space to provide this information.
Section 4

Your contact information is recommended so your election official can contact you if they need additional information from you in order to accept your FPCA. If you want to receive your absentee ballot by email or online, you must provide your email address.
Section 5

A. Select your preferred method of receiving your absentee ballot. You can choose to receive your absentee ballot by "mail" or "email or online".
B. To vote in primary elections, you must enter the name of the party ballot you want to receive. Political party affiliation is not required if requesting an absentee ballot for general elections.
Section 6

Provide any information that may assist your election official in accepting this form. You can use this space to designate particular elections or the period you wish to receive ballots.
Provide your father's and mother's first names.
Section 7

Sign and date the form. No witness signature required.
Section 1

Select the category that best describes you.
Enter your current name (Last, First). If you are registered under a different name, provide this information in the previous name area.
Your date of birth is required.
You must provide your Puerto Rico-issued ID number or the last four digits of your Social Security Number. If you do not have any of these numbers you must enter in Section 6: "I do not have a Social Security Number or Puerto Rico-issued ID number."

Section 2

Enter the complete street address of your voting residence where you are registering to vote and requesting an absentee ballot. You cannot use a post office box mailing address. If your address is a rural route, use Section 6 to describe the location of your voting residence.

Section 3

Enter your current mailing address, even if you are requesting your ballot by email. If you want your election materials sent to a different address or have a forwarding address, use the forwarding address space to provide this information.

Section 4

Your contact information is recommended so your election official can contact you if they need additional information from you in order to accept your FPCA. If you want to receive your absentee ballot by email or online, you must provide your email address.

Section 5

A. Select your preferred method of receiving your absentee ballot. You can choose to receive your absentee ballot by "mail" or "email or online".
B. To vote in primary elections, you must enter the name of the party ballot you want to receive. Political party affiliation is not required if requesting an absentee ballot for general elections.

Section 6

Provide any information that may assist your election official in accepting this form. You can use this space to designate particular elections or the period you wish to receive ballots.
Provide your father's and mother's first names.

Section 7

Sign and date the form. No witness signature required.

How and where to submit your FPCA

You can submit the FPCA by mail or email. Contact information can be found in the "Local Election Offices" section or online at FVAP.gov.

Mail your FPCA: Once your FPCA is complete, sign and date the form. Mail your FPCA directly to your election official.

Email your FPCA: Once your FPCA is complete, sign and date the form. Scan the signed FPCA into your computer. Be sure to also include the "Transmission Cover Sheet". Email this package directly to your election official.

To find out the status of your FPCA, contact your election official. Your election official will contact you if your FPCA is not accepted.

Voting your ballot

Once you receive your absentee ballot from your territory it must be returned according to the deadlines and requirements in the "Federal Election Deadlines" chart. For special federal elections, visit FVAP.gov for specific deadlines.

The territory absentee ballot must be mailed to your election official. The address of your election official can be found in the "Local Election Offices" section. Overseas Uniformed Service members can request to have the Prepaid Mail Label 11-DoD applied to the general election ballot. Additional information about this label can be found in the "Important Information" section.

Haven't received your ballot? Use the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot

You must be registered and have already requested an absentee ballot in order to use the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB).

Uniformed Service members and their eligible family members can use the FWAB to vote in all elections for federal, territory and local offices, including ballot measures.

Overseas citizens can use the FWAB to vote in all elections for federal office.

Complete the following sections of the FWAB's voter information page

Section 1

Select the category that best describes you.
Enter your current name (Last, First). If you are registered under a different name, provide this information in the previous name area.
Your date of birth is required.
You must provide your Puerto Rico-issued ID number or the last four digits of your Social Security Number. If you do not have any of these numbers you must enter in Section 6: "I do not have a Social Security Number or Puerto Rico-issued ID."
Section 2

Enter the complete street address of your voting residence where you are registered to vote. You cannot use a post office box mailing address. If your address is a rural route, use Section 6 to describe the location of your voting residence.
Section 3

Enter your current mailing address. If you want your election materials sent to a different address or have a forwarding address, use the forwarding address space to provide this information.
Section 4

Your contact information is recommended so your election official can contact you if they need additional information from you in order to accept your FWAB.
Section 5

A. Do not check "Yes" or "No." The FWAB cannot be used for voter registration or as a ballot request.
B. If you want to register to vote, request a ballot, or receive voting materials, you must submit an FPCA to your election official.
C. To vote in primary elections, you must enter the name of the party primary in which you are voting. Political party affiliation is not required if voting an absentee ballot in general elections.
Section 6

Provide any information that may assist the election official in accepting this form.
Provide your father's and mother's first names.
Section 7

Sign and date the form. No witness signature required.
Section 1

Select the category that best describes you.
Enter your current name (Last, First). If you are registered under a different name, provide this information in the previous name area.
Your date of birth is required.
You must provide your Puerto Rico-issued ID number or the last four digits of your Social Security Number. If you do not have any of these numbers you must enter in Section 6: "I do not have a Social Security Number or Puerto Rico-issued ID."

Section 2

Enter the complete street address of your voting residence where you are registered to vote. You cannot use a post office box mailing address. If your address is a rural route, use Section 6 to describe the location of your voting residence.

Section 3

Enter your current mailing address. If you want your election materials sent to a different address or have a forwarding address, use the forwarding address space to provide this information.

Section 4

Your contact information is recommended so your election official can contact you if they need additional information from you in order to accept your FWAB.

Section 5

A. Do not check "Yes" or "No." The FWAB cannot be used for voter registration or as a ballot request.
B. If you want to register to vote, request a ballot, or receive voting materials, you must submit an FPCA to your election official.
C. To vote in primary elections, you must enter the name of the party primary in which you are voting. Political party affiliation is not required if voting an absentee ballot in general elections.

Section 6

Provide any information that may assist the election official in accepting this form.
Provide your father's and mother's first names.

Section 7

Sign and date the form. No witness signature required.

Vote your FWAB

To vote, write in either a candidate's name or political party for each office. You are not required to make a selection for each and every contest.

How and where to submit your FWAB

The FWAB must be mailed to your election official. Addresses can be found in the "Local Election Offices" section or online at FVAP.gov.

Mail your FWAB: Once your FWAB is complete, sign and date the "Voter Information" page. Fold along the dotted line and seal the completed "Official Backup Ballot", do not write on the "Official Ballot" envelope. Insert the sealed "Official Ballot" envelope and the "Voter Information" page into the mailing envelope and mail your FWAB directly to your election official.

Overseas Uniformed Service members can request to have the Prepaid Mail Label 11-DoD applied to the general election ballot. Additional information about this label can be found in the "Important Information" section or online at FVAP.gov.

See the "Federal Election Deadlines" chart for the deadline for submitting the FWAB. If you receive the state absentee ballot after transmitting your voted FWAB, you may also vote and return the state absentee ballot. If both are received by the deadline, only the state absentee ballot will be counted.

Local election offices for allSearch Offices

All Mailing Address
All Early and Absentee Voting Administrative Board (JAVAA)
Puerto Rico State Election Commission
San Juan, PR 00919-2359
Phone: (787) 764-5601
Fax: (787) 777-8358