Take part in the fight of our lives: turn out the overseas vote in 2026
US citizens living outside their country have only had the right to vote in its elections for around 50 years. Long-time members recall how FAWCO sent a teabag to every member of Congress in 1976 – the bicentennial year – reminding them that “Taxation without representation is tyranny!” Attempts to limit and/or remove that right started in 2020 but have escalated in seriousness and number since 2024. FAWCO’s US Voting Committee has documented and joined with nonpartisan partners to combat them, as described in voting articles here, here, here, here and here. The latest threats are posed by cases being heard by the US Supreme Court that seek to further gut the Voting Rights Act and forbid the counting of absentee ballots arriving after Election Day, a practice permitted in many states.
The reasons for these attacks are easy to see. Suppressing absentee voting offers political advantage, and overseas absentee voters are a small group (about 3 million people of voting age) spread over multiple states and have very low turnout rates (about 8% for presidential elections and 4% for mid-terms). Thus, attempting to deprive us of our rights seems both politically safe and likely to succeed. In addition, the new restrictions being proposed particularly endanger voting by women (the voting group most likely to have surnames different from those on official ID) and “citizen children” (those who did not live in the US for a set period as adults). Finally, the attacks on overseas citizens' rights under the Constitution are taking place while our obligations as citizens (e.g. to file US tax returns) remain the same.
So what should we do?
FAWCO and its member clubs should therefore go all out to turn out unprecedented numbers of overseas voters to cast valid ballots in the US elections in 2026. This would entail a year-long campaign to help overseas Americans:
- remain informed about the issues and procedures
- correctly register to vote in the US
- cast valid ballots that will be counted.
To do this, it would help to have a member of the US Voting Committee in every FAWCO club that has American members. At present, only about half of FAWCO clubs are represented on the Committee. To help FAWCO members stay informed about and help respond to attacks on our voting rights, the Committee can serve as a valuable team for rapid response. To join it, write to .
Sharing your views with your representatives
FAWCO always encourages American members to express their views on their native country by voting. Especially in view of the January 2021 attack on the US Capitol and numerous voter-suppression laws passed by states, you may also wish to express your views on the way forward to your Senators and Representative. Here's how to do so.
To find and contact your US Senator:
- Visit the Senate website.
- Search for your Senators using the Contact link (scroll down to find it and select your state).
- On the results page is a link to the Senators’ websites, contact information, and links to an online contact form (forms vary by Senator).
To find and contact your US Representative:
- Visit the House of Representatives website.
- Search using the Find Your Representative tab (click on it, enter your zip code and click Go).
- On the results page is a photo of your Representative(s), links to the Representative’s personal website and online contact form, and a local map.
- If your zip code overlaps with multiple congressional districts, the results page will include boxes for you to enter your zip code+4 or mailing address to find the correct Representative.
What FAWCO does
FAWCO’s US Voting Committee operates under the US Liaison, and encourages and assists US overseas citizens to participate in every federal election for which they are eligible by providing a dedicated website and information and training to volunteers in FAWCO member clubs, and helping with publicity. The Committee also works to reduce the barriers to voting from overseas imposed by federal and state legislation, through such means as Overseas Americans Week and work with partners such as the US Vote Foundation and FVAP. It publishes monthly articles on the FAWCO website, and summarizes and links to them in News in Brief and the US Liaison Bulletin.
FAWCO provides information and advice here, but also promotes overseas voting:
- through messages on social media;
- in online meetings with FAWCO Reps and online voter registration workshops;
- in a virtual workshop for all FAWCO Clubs, and workshops for individual clubs, on helping overseas voters to register an vote; and
- through Regional Meetings and Club events.
To help FAWCO in this work, get better information for your club or community, and to arrange a virtual workshop for your club, contact the Chair of the US Voting Committee ().
Video workshop on voting from overseas in 2024
A video workshop on US voting from overseas, recorded in September 2024 with the Chair of FAWCO's US Voting Committee and guests from the Federal Voting Assistance Program and the US Embassy London, is now available. Check it out!
Why vote from overseas?
Overseas Americans often complain that US law ignores or unintentionally harms us. While voter turnout in the US is much worse than that in many developed countries (around 65% seems to be cause for celebration), however, turnout for overseas Americans voters is only 7.8% – if we do not bother to speak, why should lawmakers listen to our concerns? See FVAP's analysis of overseas voter turnout.
Our country needs to hear our voices – not just in the choice of President and Vice-President, and senators and representatives in Congress, but in state and local offices (in states that permit us to vote on them). Living as we do, in daily contact with the world outside the US and functioning as informal ambassadors for our country, we have unique insights to offer. And now that many political races are decided by small margins, we have a better chance to be heard than ever before. Seize this chance: vote in every year in which elections are held, and help other overseas Americans to do so.
FAWCO's US Voting Committee encourages and assists US overseas citizens to participate in every federal election for which they are eligible by providing a dedicated website and information and training to volunteers in FAWCO Member Clubs, and helping with publicity. The Committee also works to reduce the barriers to voting from overseas imposed by federal and state legislation.
To get involved or to ask questions, contact the US Voting Committee Chair at .
Register to vote
To register to vote, visit the US Vote Foundation.
