Military and Overseas Voters (UOCAVA)
UOCAVA (Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act) citizens are U.S. citizens who are active members of the Uniformed Services, the Merchant Marine, and the commissioned corps of the Public Health Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, their family members, and other U.S. citizens residing outside the United States. This Act provides the legal basis for absentee voting requirements for these citizens.
Receiving Your Ballot:
Please note that you must be registered 21 days before the election to be qualified to vote.
Military and overseas voters are automatically mailed ballots 45 days before an election; local ballots are mailed 20 days before an election. If you are a UOCAVA voter and unable to receive mail while out of the country, you may also access your ballot online or receive it by fax or e-mail. By law, a paper ballot will still be mailed to you.
Online – MyVote:
During an election you may access your ballot online using the Oregon Secretary of State's online ballot-marking tool. Instructions on accessing your ballot through MyVote can be found here.
By E-mail or Fax:
UOCAVA voters who have completed and returned a Federal Post Card Application (FPCA)
indicating their voting preferences may receive a ballot by e-mail or fax.
NOTE: When filling out the FPCA, be sure to accurately mark your status as a UOCAVA voter. If you indicate you are a U.S. citizen residing outside of the U.S. and it is uncertain whether you will return to the United States,
your vote will count only Federal candidates. If you indicate you intend to return at some point in the future,
your vote will count for Federal, State, and Local races.
Returning Your Ballot:
There are three ways to return your ballot as a military or overseas voter.
Email:
elections@co.marion.or.us
Fax: (503) 588-5383
Mail:
Marion County Elections
PO Box 14500
Salem, OR 97309
An emailed or faxed ballot package
must include:
- Your voted ballot – be sure to include the entire ballot, as it may be two-sided
- Your signed Ballot Return Envelope – the side including your signature and ballot label
-
SEL 531 - A completed and signed SEL 531 Fax or Email Vote Secret Ballot Waiver Form
All ballots, mailed or electronic, must be received by the Elections Division no later than 8 p.m. Pacific Time on Election Day. Postmarks
do count for mailed ballots if your ballot is postmarked on or before Election Day and it is received within 7 calendar days after the election.
