The next elections are scheduled for November 2024. See our 2024 Election Schedule page for more information on the full 2024 election schedule.

See below for more information on Military and Overseas Voting or click this link to view our North Carolina State Board of elections website for more information.

The UOCAVA Election Notice for the November 5, 2024 General Election can be viewed through this link. (The most recent version of this notice was posted 09/13/2024.)  

Military and Overseas Absentee Voting

Who is eligible to apply?

The following individuals, who are eligible to register and who are qualified to vote in any statewide primary or election held under the laws of North Carolina, and who are absent from the county of his or her residence are entitled to register and vote by military or overseas absentee ballot:

1. Members of the active or reserve components of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard who are on active duty.
2. Members of the Merchant Marine, the commissioned corps of the Public Health Service, or the commissioned corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
3. Members of the National Guard or state militia units on activated status.
4. Spouses and dependents of uniformed services members listed above.
5. U.S. Citizens residing outside of the country.

How can I apply?

Military and/or Overseas voters may request through EITHER the North Carolina Online Absentee Request Portal OR by completing the North Carolina State 2024 Absentee Ballot Request Form. Note: all previous versions of this form are obsolete.

Important note: the Absentee Ballot Request Form is specific to the ONE election date. Please verify that the correct ONE date is selected on the form before completing and sending. 

Or

Download the Federal Post Card Application Form (FPCA). You must sign it (no computer-font signatures allowed) and then you may submit the form as detailed below.

Send signed (no computer-font signatures) and completed FPCA (or other forms) to:

Absentee Voting Department
Guilford County Board of Elections
PO Box 3427
Greensboro, NC 27402

Or

Fax completed and signed (no computer-font signatures) to: 336‐641‐4454.

Or

Email completed and signed (no computer-font signatures) attachment to absentee@guilfordcountync.gov.

The request must be signed before submitting it to the county board of elections. The deadline for individuals eligible under UOCAVA to register to vote and/or request an absentee ballot is 5 p.m. on the day before Election Day.

Only the voter may sign their FPCA or FWAB application. Family members may not sign these forms on the voter’s behalf.

Any covered uniformed service or overseas voter that qualifies as listed above has the choice of either applying to register and/or vote through special programs such as using the FPCA (see link above) or FWAB or requesting a mail‐in absentee ballot the same way as other registered voters. Access the Federal Voting Assistance website for more information.

Returning the Ballot

Military or overseas voters may return their ballot, including an FWAB, via mail, fax or email. Additionally, a military or overseas voter who has submitted an FPCA or completed the UOCAVA portion of the North Carolina Absentee Request Form may use the UOCAVA portal to retrieve, mark, and return their ballot.

The deadline to return military and overseas ballots is the close of polls on Election Day (7:30 p.m. EST). If the ballot is received after the deadline, it will not be timely, unless the voter transmitted the ballot by 12:01 a.m. on the day of the election (voter time) and the county board receives the ballot by the last business day before the county canvass. The county canvass is typically conducted 10 days after a general election and 7 days after other elections. When returning the ballot by mail, no postmark is required.

Before returning the ballot, the military-overseas voter must sign the Affirmation of Military-Overseas Voter. The affirmation will be included in the instruction materials that are included with the blank ballot. If the balloting materials are mailed, then the affirmation is also on the back of the container-return envelope. Detailed instructions on returning the voted ballot are included with the absentee balloting materials sent to the voter.

If you have any questions, please contact us by email at absentee@guilfordcountync.gov, or call 336‐641‐6876, or visit the NC State Board of Elections website.