Need to contact your local election official? You can look up their contact info, check your voter registration status, and track your ballot here.
BALLOT RETURN BY POSTAL MAIL REQUIRED
The following states require ballots to be returned by postal mail. States with * may allow alternate return methods by email/online or fax—click on your state, or contact your local election official for details.
AL*, AR, CT, GA, ID, IL, IA*, KY, LA*, MD, MI, MN, MO*, NE*, NH, NJ*, NY, OH, PA, PR, SD, TN, TX*, VA, VT, WI, WY
International Postal Service via La Poste: If your state requires postal mail ballot return, you can use international mail via the French Postal Service (La Poste).
On April 2, 2026, we have heard several reports of mailed ballots being returned by La Poste, despite the assurances of La Poste leadership that the service is sending flat envelopes like ballots to the US.
So, please follow these instructions:
Determine how much postage you need by weighing your completed/addressed ballot envelope on the machine in the La Poste bureau.
➡️ Enter "Canada" as the destination country: The country is not listed on the postage sticker the machine spits out.
Affix the postage sticker, exit the post office, and find a yellow La Poste box.
➡️ Drop the envelope in the slot labeled "autres departments / international":
➡️ You can also use Marianne stamps (international purple stamps called les timbres violet) BUT please use the postage machine to determine how many stamps you need: Envelopes weighing 20 or more grams require two stamps, and you may need more than that if your ballot is several pages.
We STRONGLY encourage you to mail a backup ballot when you mail your regular ballot; this is a benefit offered to voters abroad by federal law if you have registered using the form at VoteFromAbroad.org. WHY? If you are registered with your state or your local election official, you are not able to take advantage of the backup ballot. Given the problems we're seeing with postal mail from France, we urge you to re-register using VoteFromAbroad.org, which will update your status and provide you with the federal protections you're entitled to, like receiving your ballot 45 days in advance and being able to submit a backup ballot.
Here is La Poste's current guidance on mailing things to the US..
RECOMMENDED: If you must return your ballot by postal mail, please also vote and return a backup ballot. Read about it here.
DIPLOMATIC POUCH: Given our current mail difficulties, you should consider returning your ballot via diplomatic pouch (in the embassy in Paris or consulates in Marseille and Strasbourg). Please note important details about postage and timing on the embassy page!
EMAIL or ONLINE BALLOT RETURN ALLOWED
The following states allow ballots to be returned by EMAIL or an ONLINE method, in addition to postal mail return. States with * have special requirements—click on your state or contact your local election official for details.
AL*, AZ, CO, DC, DE, HI, IN, KS, MA, ME, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE*, NJ*, NM, NV, OR, RI, SC, UT, WA, WV
RECOMMENDED: We recommend that voters from the above states return a ballot by EMAIL or ONLINE. If you decide to return a ballot by postal mail, you should also vote and return a backup ballot. Read about it here.
FAX BALLOT RETURN ALLOWED
These states allow ballots to be returned by fax (we suggest using an email-to-fax service - see below). States with * have special requirements; click on your state or contact your local election official for details.
AK, CA, FL, LA*, OK
RECOMMENDED: We recommend that voters from the above states return a ballot by FAX (or an email-to-fax service; see below). If you decide to return a ballot by postal mail, you should also vote and return a backup ballot. Read about it here.
For AK, CA, FL, LA, and OK voters without access to a fax machine, please consider using a phone app like GeniusFax or an online service such as HelloFax, eFax, FaxZero, or Faxplus.
