Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot (FWAB)

Standard Form 186 (Rev. 08-2013)

Instructions for Voter’s Declaration/Affirmation 

The gray numbers and instructions below correspond to the gray numbered 

boxes on the face of the form.

1

In most States, you must have registered and requested an 

absentee ballot from your voting jurisdiction to use this form. If you 

have not done this, you cannot use this form unless your State 

allows voter registration via the FWAB. If your State does not allow 

you to register to vote using this form and you have not already 

submitted a Federal Post Card Application or registered/requested 

an absentee ballot by other means, your FWAB will not be counted. 

2

	 The classification you choose may determine in which election(s)

you will be allowed to vote. Choose the one that best represents 

your current situation. 

3

The information you enter for your name should match the 

information you used to register to vote. The local election official

who receives this form will match this to your voter registration 

information. 

4

While most States allow you to enter either your Driver’s License 

number or the last 4 digits of your Social Security Number, some 

will invalidate this form without your full SSN. Check your State’s 

pages in the Voting Assistance Guide on FVAP.gov to see if your 

State requires the full SSN. 

Also, many States ask that you provide your race or ethnic group in 

order to demonstrate that they are complying with the Voting Rights 

Act and the National Voter Registration Act.

5

If there are questions about your form, local election officials

will use this information to contact you. An email address is the 

simplest and fastest way for them to do so. Your voting materials 

will be sent to the email address(es) that you provide here if you 

request it and your State allows it. Include an alternate phone 

number in Box 9 if necessary.

6 If you want to vote in primary elections, most States require you to 

specify a political party. 

7

This determines the jurisdiction where you vote. For military voters 

the voting address is your legal U.S. residence. For overseas 

citizens this is usually the U.S. address where you last lived. You 

do not need to have any current physical ties to this address. Do 

not use a post office box number. If the area has no street names,

enter the route number and box number. The address you enter 

here must match the address you used when you requested an 

absentee ballot.

8

Enter the address where you want voting materials to be sent. 

Voting materials will be sent to this address unless you enter a 

forwarding address in Box 9.

9 

Enter anything here that would help ensure your ballot is accepted. 

Indicate your preferred method for receiving future ballots: email, 

online download, or fax if requested. You can always get your 

absentee ballot by mail. Check your State’s pages in the Voting 

Assistance Guide on FVAP.gov for anything your State may 

specifically require here.

Affirmation Read this carefully. It is what you are agreeing to under oath

and penalty of perjury by filling out and sending in this form. Some

States require that your form be witnessed. Check your State’s 

pages in the Voting Assistance Guide for your State’s requirements.

Instructions for Official Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot

To vote, write in either a candidate’s name or a political party for each 

office. Your State may allow you to vote in State and local elections in the

Addendum section of this ballot. If you submit the FWAB and later receive 

your State ballot you should make every reasonable effort to inform your 

local election office and return your State ballot.

Some States allow you to send your Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot 

electronically after printing, signing and scanning. 

To return by mail, fold the ballot. Put it in a blank envelope, seal the 

envelope, and mark it “Security Envelope.” This security envelope keeps 

your vote private.

Put the security envelope and the Declaration / Affirmation form into a

larger envelope together. Seal the larger envelope. 

To send your ballot: 

•	 For non-U.S. mailing, put the correct amount of local postage in the

top right corner on the front of the large envelope.

•	 In the upper left corner, enter your current complete military or

overseas mailing address and the election date. 

•	 Under “To,” enter the name and mailing address of the local election

official to whom you are sending the packet. It must be the same

local election office where you sent your request for an absentee

ballot.

Privacy Act Statement 

Authority: The authority to collect your personal information on this 

form comes from 42 USC 1973ff, “Uniformed and Overseas Citizens 

Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA).”

Principal Purpose: This form serves as a write-in absentee ballot for 

elections for Federal office or other elections provided by State law or

special provisions for all persons covered by UOCAVA.

Routine Use(s): There is no retention of this information by the 

Federal government. Completed forms are sent by you to an 

appropriate State election official.

Disclosure: Your disclosure of personal information is voluntary. 

However, failure to provide the requested information may result 

in the Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot not being recognized and 

therefore not counted.

 

For any questions about this form, consult the 

Voting Assistance Guide available in hard copy or 

on FVAP.gov or your Voting Assistance Officer.

Agency Disclosure Statement

The public reporting burden for this collection of information is 

estimated to average 15 minutes per response, including the time 

for reviewing instructions, gathering and maintaining the data 

needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. 

Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other 

aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for 

reducing the burden, to the Department of Defense, Washington 

Headquarters Services, Executive Services Directorate, Information 

Management Division, 4800 Mark Center Drive, East Tower, Suite 

02G09, Alexandria, VA 22350-3100. [OMB CONTROL #0704-

0502]. Respondents should be aware that notwithstanding any other 

provision of law, no person shall be subject to any penalty for failing to 

comply with a collection of information if it does not display a currently 

valid OMB control number. PLEASE DO NOT RETURN YOUR 

COMPLETED FORM TO THE ADDRESS ABOVE. 

For absent Uniformed Service members, their families, and citizens residing outside the U.S.
You must sign and send in.

Voter’s Declaration/Affirmation

Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot (FWAB)

County 

Previous name (if applicable) 

Qualification & 

Voter Registration

Many States require that you 

be registered and request an 

absentee ballot before using this 

form.

If you answer No, you can do this via the Federal Post Card Application, or in a few States, by marking the box below. Check your 

State’s pages in the Voting Assistance Guide on FVAP.gov to see if your State allows registration via this form.

Have you already registered and requested an absentee ballot? 

 I also want to register to vote and/or request an absentee ballot for all elections in which I am eligible to vote.

Identification

Some States require your full 

SSN. Check your State’s pages 

in the Voting Assistance Guide 

on FVAP.gov.

Contact information

Include international prefixes.

No DSN numbers.

– –

Last name Suffix 

Apt. # 

Legal name

City/Town/Village 

Street Address (not P.O. Box) Voting residence 

address

Usually your last U.S. residence 

or your legal U.S. residence. 

See instructions.

Where to send my 

voting materials 

This is your current 

mailing address and 

should be different from 

above. If required, place 

a forwarding address in 

Box 9.

Additional 

requirements

for your State 

Such as: future ballot receipt 

preference, mail forwarding 

address, additional phone, 

or other State required 

information. See your State’s 

pages in the Voting Assistance 

Guide on FVAP.gov.

Please print in black ink.

Classification

Make only 1 selection.

I am an activated National Guard member on State orders. 

/ /

/ /

Standard Form 186 (Rev. 08-2013) , OMB No. 0704-0502

Witness signature / date if required by your State.

I am a member of the Uniformed Services or Merchant Marine on active duty OR I am an eligible spouse or dependent.

First name Middle name 

 Yes No

Birth date Sex 

State Driver’s License or I.D. 

Telephone 

Fax 

State Zip Code

Today’s date 

Email

Alternate Email

1

5

7

4

3

9

2

8

This information is for official use only. Any unauthorized release may be punishable by law. PREVIOUS EDITIONS ARE OBSOLETE.

–

Your State may require you to specify a political party to vote in primary elections: Political party 6 

Signature 

Date 

Race 

I am a U.S. citizen residing outside the United States, and my return is not certain.

I am a U.S. citizen residing outside the United States, and I intend to return.

M F

I am a U.S. citizen and have never resided in the United States. 

Affirmation (REQUIRED): I swear or affirm, under penalty of perjury, that:

 

M M

M M D D

D D

Y Y Y Y

Y Y Y Y

For any questions about this form, consult the 

Voting Assistance Guide available in hard copy 

or on FVAP.gov or your Voting Assistance 

Officer.

OR Social Security Number 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• The information on this form is true, accurate, and complete to the best of my knowledge. 

I understand that a material misstatement of fact in completion of this document may constitute 

grounds for conviction of perjury. 

• I am a U.S. citizen, at least 18 years of age (or will be by the day of the election), eligible to vote in the 

requested jurisdiction, and 

• I am not disqualified to vote due to having been convicted of a felony or other disqualifying offense, 

nor have I been adjudicated mentally incompetent; or if so, my voting rights have been reinstated; and 

• I am not registering, requesting a ballot, or voting in any other jurisdiction in the United States, except 

the jurisdiction cited in this voting form. 

• In voting, I have marked and sealed this ballot in private and have not allowed any person to observe 

the marking of this ballot, except those authorized to assist voters under State and Federal law. 

Signature X 

For absent Uniformed Service members, their families, and citizens residing outside the U.S.

See Instructions
Official Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot

President/Vice President:

U.S. Senator*:

* Legal residents of the District of Columbia may vote only for President/Vice President and Delegate. 

** Legal residents of American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands may vote only for Delegate 

or Resident Commissioner to the Congress.

Addendum

If you are eligible to use this ballot to vote for offices other than those listed above or for ballot initiatives, please indicate 

in the spaces provided below, the office for which you wish to vote (for example: Governor, Attorney General, Mayor, 

State Senator, etc.). You may also indicate the ballot intiative and your vote for the initiative.

U.S. Representative/Delegate**/Resident Commissioner**:

Office / Ballot Initiative Candidate Name, Party Affiliation,

 or Initiative Vote

Detach here, fold and insert into security envelope

OFFICIAL FEDERAL WRITE-IN ABSENTEE BALLOT

SECURITY ENVELOPE

(PUT ONLY THE VOTED BALLOT INSIDE THIS ENVELOPE)

Standard Form 186 (Rev 08-2013)

(Use reverse side for additional space)

Vote by writing the name and/or party affiliation of the candidate for whom you wish to vote. Some States allow the 

Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot to be used by military and overseas voters in elections other than general elections or 

for offices other than Federal offices. Consult the Voting Assistance Guide to determine your State’s policy.
Official Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot (continuation)

Security Envelope Only - DO NOT WRITE ON THIS ENVELOPE

Standard Form 186 (Rev 08-2013) (Back)

Office / Ballot Initiative Candidate Name, Party Affiliation,

 or Initiative Vote

If you need more space enclose an additional sheet of paper. 
From

(Your name and current complete military or overseas 

mailing address)

International airmail postage is required if not mailed in the 

U.S. Postal Service, APO/FPO system, or diplomatic pouch. 

U.S. Postage Paid

39 USC 3406

PAR AVION

To

(Your local election office in the United States. Check your State’s pages in the 

Voting Assistance Guide on FVAP.gov for contact information.)

OFFICIAL ABSENTEE BALLOTING MATERIAL – FIRST CLASS MAIL

NO POSTAGE NECESSARY IN THE U.S. MAIL – DMM 703.8.0

Ballot Enclosed for __________ Election. 

 (MM/YY)
INSTRUCTIONS TO VOTER

Before you seal this envelope, check that you have done the following:

1) Did you sign your form?

2) Did you put the form into this mailing envelope?

3) Did you put your ballot inside a security envelope?

4) Did you put the security envelope into this mailing envelope?

INSTRUCTIONS TO ELECTION OFFICIALS

This is an official Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot (FWAB) authorized by 42 USC 1973 ff-2.

1. Upon receipt of this ballot, examine the voter’s declaration form. If it appears the voter is eligible to vote in your jurisdiction and has applied in a timely fashion 

for a regular absentee ballot, or this requirement has been waived by appropriate authority, this ballot is valid unless you receive the voter’s regular absentee 

ballot in time for it to be counted. This ballot should be handled in the same manner as required by State law for other absentee ballots. If this ballot is to be 

counted, deposit the voted ballot in the ballot box without examining the voter’s choice.

2. The oath on this ballot is self-executing and need not be notarized (prohibited by Federal law) or witnessed (unless required by State law).

3. Unless provided by law, or special provisions have been made, this ballot should not be counted if:

a. It was submitted by a member of the Uniformed Services (or eligible dependent) not absent from his or her voting jurisdiction; or

b. It was submitted from within the United States (an APO/FPO address is considered outside the U.S.) by a citizen who is neither a Uniformed Services 

member, member of the Merchant Marine, or a dependent of a Uniformed Services or Merchant Marine member; or

c. This voter’s application for a regular absentee ballot was received by you less than 30 days prior to the election, or later than required by State law for 

receipt of application, whichever is later; or

d. You received this voter’s completed regular absentee ballot by the State deadline for receipt of absentee ballots; or

e. This ballot was not received by the State deadline for receipt of voted absentee ballots.

Standard Form 186 (Rev 08-2013)