[Monday, October 8, 2018]
Don’t wait, return your voted ballot right away! The majority of states require voted ballots to reach local election officials by the close of polls on Tuesday, November 6. Same-day in-person voting is not available outside the United States.
We highly recommend that you mail your voted paper ballot to your local election officials for the November 6 election by October 15, 2018. If you would like assistance in mailing your ballot to your state, the U.S. Embassy in Kuwait is hosting a Voting Open House for U.S. citizens to drop off their ballots on October 11, from 12:00p.m. – 4:00p.m. Come to the Embassy with your completed ballot and U.S. passport as ID, no appointment necessary. If you cannot come on October 11, you can always book an appointment to drop off your ballot, but all ballots should be given to the Embassy by October 15 if you would like us to help you mail your ballot to your state or local elections official.
Never received your ballot? If you have registered to vote and requested your absentee ballot prior to your state’s registration and absentee ballot request deadlines but have not yet received your ballot, you should immediately complete and return a Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot to ensure your vote reaches election officials by your state’s deadline. If your regular ballot arrives later, go ahead and complete and return it as well. Your Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot will only be counted if your regular ballot does not reach local election officials by your state’s deadline. Your vote will not be counted twice.
Ballots not sent to local election officials by our October 15 deadline? If you wish to participate in this election and have not yet sent your ballot to your local election officials by the October 15 deadline listed above, you should consider returning your ballot to the United States via an express courier service such as FedEx, UPS, or DHL or electronically if allowed by your state. Ballots sent to local election officials via express courier service do not receive standard postmarks, so voters using this method should confirm delivery on or before November 6th prior to payment and shipment. Check your state’s voting procedures at www.FVAP.gov for guidance.
Returning your ballot by mail. If you wish to send your voted ballot via mail, place your voted ballot in a U.S. postage-paid envelope addressed to your local election official. Drop it off at the Embassy, and we’ll send it back home for you without the need to pay international postage. If you can’t visit the Embassy in person, ask a friend or colleague drop it off for you. If it’s easier for you to use Kuwait’s postal system, be sure to affix sufficient international postage, and allow sufficient time for international mail delivery. Ballots sent via regular international mail from most countries after October 15 are unlikely to reach local election officials by state ballot receipt deadlines. After October 15, you are welcome to drop off your ballot at the U.S. Embassy by appointment, but we cannot guarantee your ballots will arrive in time to be counted by your election office.
Returning your Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot by email or fax. Consult and carefully review your state’s voting procedures at www.FVAP.gov.
HELP SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT OVERSEAS VOTING. Please help spread the word to your friends, family, and colleagues that now is the time to start thinking about overseas voting. Consider posting to your Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, or other social media account that you are an active voter and will be dropping off or mailing your Federal Post Card Application or completed ballot. Use #ProudOverseasVoter to help get the word out about voting.
Need help? You can get in-person assistance from our Embassy Voting Assistance Officers at the Voting Open House on October 11, or by emailing VoteKuwait@state.gov.
Have Questions? Please contact the U.S. Embassy’s Voting Assistance Officer at VoteKuwait@state.gov. You can also contact the Federal Voting Assistance Program directly if you encounter issues with local election officials by emailing Vote@FVAP.gov or toll free by phone from many countries around the world.
Confirm your registration and ballot delivery online. Learn more at the Federal Voting Assistance Program’s (FVAP) website at www.FVAP.gov.
For further information:
- Visit the State Department’s travel website for Worldwide Caution, Travel Alerts, and Kuwait’s Country Specific Information.
- Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive security messages and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
- Contact the U.S. Embassy in Kuwait at 00-(965) 2259-1001 or 00-(965) 2538-6562 or by fax: 00-(965) 2538-0282.
- Call 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States and Canada or 1-202-501-4444 from other countries from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).
- Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
Please note that the Consular Section is closed for U.S. and most local holidays. The current holiday schedule for 2018 is posted on https://kw.usembassy.gov/holiday-calendar/.
