Your 10-Minute Guide to Voting From Abroad

Ten minutes. That is all it takes to register and request a U.S. ballot from anywhere in Spain — less time than the metro from Atocha to Sol. The whole process runs on one free federal form (the Federal Post Card Application, or FPCA) and one free site that walks you through it. If you’re a U.S citizen here are 3 easy steps to request your ballot from Spain!

Go to VoteFromAbroad.org. The site guides you through the FPCA with state-specific questions and produces a ready-to-submit form. The FPCA does two things at once: it registers you to vote and requests your absentee ballot. You will need to submit it every calendar year to stay active.

Your local U.S. election office sends a blank ballot — by email, fax, or post, depending on your state — typically about 45 days before the election. From Spain, choose electronic delivery whenever your state allows it.

Some states accept email or secure online returns; others require postal mail. If yours requires paper, send early — international mail can take one to three weeks, and late ballots are often not counted. If your ballot does not arrive in time, the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB), also available at VoteFromAbroad.org, is the legal backup for federal races.

Every U.S. citizen aged 18 or older can vote, including Americans who have never lived in the United States — most states allow them to vote using a U.S. citizen parent's last American address. Registering to vote does not affect your taxes. And in November 2026, every seat in the House and roughly a third of the Senate is up, along with state and local offices across the country.

VoteFromAbroad.org. Free, in English or Spanish, with live voter support — drop-in Zoom sessions, one-on-one appointments, or email — if you would like a person to walk you through it. Ten minutes from “I should vote this year” to a finished FPCA. Your ballot will find its way home.