Registering and Requests for Vote by mail and E-mail/Fax Ballots

Registering to Vote:

The Federal Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) and conforming state legislation pertain to active duty members of the United States Uniformed Services (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard, the commissioned corps of the Public Health Service and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), member of the Merchant Marine, spouses and dependents of those active duty members, and United States citizens residing overseas.

UOCAVA voters may apply for voter registration two ways:  

• Complete a Federal Post Card Application (FPCA), which may be obtained from a Voting Assistance Officer (VAO) or from the Federal Voting Assistance Program at www.fvap.gov.  
• Complete a Florida Voter Registration Application (FVRA), which may be completed online, printed and mailed to our office.   When completing the form notate your status.

We encourage all UOCAVA voters to include their email addresses on all forms or correspondence, and to update them along with mailing addresses whenever they move. It is important to notify the elections office of address changes so that you do not jeopardize your voter registration status. Voters may update address information by completing a new FPCA, FVRA or by contacting the Elections Office via telephone or email, or in writing.

Late Registration:

An individual or accompanying family member who has been discharged or separated from the Uniformed Services, the Merchant Marine, or from employment outside the territorial limits of the United States after the book closing date for an election and who is otherwise qualified, may register to vote in such election at the Supervisor of Elections office until 5:00 p.m. on the Friday before the election. Such persons must produce sufficient documentation showing evidence of qualifying for late registration pursuant to Section 97.0555 Florida Statutes.

Requesting a Vote by Mail (absentee) Ballot:

UOCAVA voters may request Vote by Mail Ballots five ways:

• Complete a request online at Our Mission: Your Vote.
• Complete a Federal Post Card Application (FPCA).
• Complete a Florida Voter Registration Application.  
• Complete an online Vote by Mail request form.  
• Contact our office via telephone, mail, email or in writing.

When completing the FPCA, the online Vote by Mail application or email, please be sure to provide the following information:    

• Your Nassau County residence address
• Your current mailing address
• Your telephone number
• Your email address
• How you wish to receive your Vote by Mail Ballot

It is vitally important for UOCAVA voters to request Vote by Mail ballots as early as possible - the beginning of each year is advisable. Equally important is keeping your local election official's office informed of any address changes.  Vote by Mail ballots that are returned undeliverable to the elections office because of a bad address will automatically cancel the voter's request for future Vote by Mail ballots.  The voter must make a new Vote by Mail ballot request providing a current mailing address.

UOCAVA voters with foreign, APO and FPO addresses (excluding Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa or other American territories) may have their Vote by Mail ballot mailed, faxed or emailed as indicated by the voter.

UOCAVA voters with a foreign address may return their ballots by mail or fax, but not by email.  If the ballot is faxed, the voter then waives their right to a secret ballot.  Access to your faxed ballot received in the elections office is highly restricted and the ballot is immediately placed in a secrecy envelope without examination. Only the Voter's Certificate, which must be signed and dated, is examined.

With respect to the presidential preference primary and the general election, any Vote by Mail ballot cast for a federal office by an overseas voter which is postmarked or signed and dated no later than the date of the Federal election shall be counted if received no later than 10 days from the date of the Federal election as long as such Vote by Mail ballot is otherwise proper.

Additional information for UOCAVA voters is available from the Federal Voting Assistance Program, www.fvap.gov/reference/links,toll-free 1-800-438-8683, fax 1-800-368-8683, and email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .