Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA)

As mandated by law, election officials are expected to send ballots to military personnel, their eligible family members, and overseas citizens at least 45 days prior to a federal election. The Postal Service™ is committed to helping election officials meet their obligations with proactive planning and mailpiece preparation.

Get started by doing the following:

• Connect with your Postal Service local Manager, Customer Relations by submitting an inquiry at https://electionmail.usps.com/s/contact-local-mcr.
• Discuss the timeline and known deadlines.
• Review address files for military and overseas voters and perform any necessary address maintenance.
• Consult Publication 632, State and Local Election Mail - User’s Guide, or Postal Explorer for tips on how to properly address internationally bound mailpieces at at https://pe.usps.com/text/imm/immc1_008.htm.
• Determine if the mailpiece meets the postage exemption criteria with postage paid as authorized by UOCAVA..
• Obtain and then affix Tag 191, Domestic and International Ballots, to your outbound sacks and trays of Ballot Mail. Tags can be ordered online at https://about.usps.com/forms/ps1910.pdf.

For more information, please review Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM®) 703.8.2, Pub 632, State and Local Election Mail - User’s Guide, or visit the Federal Voting Assistance

Program at https://www.fvap.gov/vao/overview.