Military & Overseas Voters

What is a UOCAVA voter?

The Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act is commonly referred to as UOCAVA. UOCAVA is a federal law that applies to US Citizens who are active members of the Uniformed Services, the Merchant Marine, the commissioned corps of the Public Health Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, their eligible family members and other U.S. citizens residing outside the United States.

The UOCAVA law provides additional voter registration and absentee voting opportunities including the provision for military and overseas citizens to choose to receive their absentee ballots electronically (EBD) or by regular mail. 

Federal Post Card Application

To request a ballot under the UOCAVA provision you will need to complete the Federal Post Card Application or FPCA. The FPCA registers you to vote, updates your voter registration information if you are already registered, and requests an absentee ballot for all elections in that year. 

You can find the FPCA here.

Submitting the FPCA

Once you have completed the FPCA you can submit the form in the following ways:

By Mail:

Lumpkin County Elections Office
56 Short Street
Dahlonega, GA 30533

By Fax:

(706) 864-0731

By Email:

elections@lumpkincounty.gov

In order for you to receive your absentee ballot for the upcoming election, your FPCA must be received by the Friday prior to Election Day. We suggest that you submit your FPCA as soon as possible to ensure you have adequate time to receive, vote, and return your ballot to the Elections Office.  

Receiving the Ballot

Once you have submitted the FPCA, your ballot will be sent to you using the preferred method for receiving voting materials that you selected on the FPCA. If you have selected to receive your ballot electronically, please ensure you have included a valid email address on the FPCA.

You will receive all absentee ballots for the remaining elections that year by the method you selected on the FPCA. If you wish to change the method in which you are receiving your absentee ballots, you must submit an updated FPCA or contact the Elections Office at elections@lumpkincounty.gov or (706) 864-6279.

Runoff Elections

The Georgia Secretary of State provides a Statewide Write-in Absentee Ballot (SWAB) for eligible UOCAVA voters to use in the event of a runoff election. If you requested an absentee ballot for the primary or general election, you will automatically be sent the necessary SWAB voting materials for the runoff. 

Emergency Ballots

In the event a UOCAVA voter has properly requested an absentee ballot but has not received it, they may use the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB). The FWAB is an emergency backup ballot. The FWAB can be located here. In the event you have not received your properly requested ballot, please also notify the Elections Office at elections@lumpkincounty.gov or (706) 864-6279.

Returning the Voted Ballot

Once you have received and voted your absentee ballot you will need to return the ballot to the Elections Office. Instructions on returning the ballot will be included with your ballot packet. Please read these instructions carefully and if you have any questions please contact the Elections Office at elections@lumpkincounty.gov or (706) 864-6279.

All voted UOCAVA ballots must be received by the Elections Office no later than the Friday following the election. 

Your ballot cannot be submitted to the Elections Office electronically. Please mail your voted ballot early enough to account for mail delivery times.

If you have any questions about UOCAVA Voting, please contact the Lumpkin County Elections Office at elections@lumpkincounty.gov or (706) 864-6279.

For additional information on UOCAVA Voting, you can visit the following websites:

GA Secretary of State

Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP)

Overseas Vote Foundation

US Embassy Website Directory