Embassies and consulates are not polling places. The majority of states require voted ballots to reach local election officials by the close of polls on Tuesday, November 6. U.S. citizens who want to participate in the 2012 U.S. elections should already have returned their absentee ballots to their local election officials. U.S. embassies and consulates are not polling places; same-day in-person voting is not available outside the United States.

Ballot not yet sent to local election officials? All voters who wish to participate in this election who have not yet sent their ballots to their local election officials should consider returning their ballot to the United States via an express courier service such as FedEx, UPS, or DHL. Some states or counties may allow you to return your voted ballot electronically. Check your state’s voting procedures at www.FVAP.gov for guidance.

Returning your Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot by email or fax. The following states allow voters to use email or fax to send signed, voted Federal Write-in Absentee Ballots to local election officials: Arizona, California (fax only), Colorado, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Indiana, Kansas, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Utah, Washington, and West Virginia. Check your state’s voting procedures at www.FVAP.gov for guidance.

Returning ballots via express courier service. Voters can hire express courier companies such as UPS, DHL, and FedEx to return voted ballots.  Through October 31, FedEx is offering discounted shipping for last-minute voters in 94 countries through the Express Your Vote program https://www.overseasvotefoundation.org/overseas/ExpressYourVote.htm.  Ballots sent to local election officials via express courier service do not receive standard postmarks, so voters using this method should confirm delivery on or before November 6 prior to payment and shipment.

Returning your ballot by mail. Ballots sent via mail at this late date are unlikely to reach local election officials by state ballot receipt deadlines. If you still wish to send your voted ballot via mail, place your voted ballot in a U.S. postage-paid envelope addressed to your local election officials.  Drop it off at the Embassy, and we’ll send it back home for you without the need to pay international postage.  If you can’t visit the Embassy in person, ask a friend or colleague drop it off for you. If it’s easier for you to use the Dominican Republic’s postal system, be sure to affix sufficient international postage, and allow sufficient time for international mail delivery.

Ballots can be accepted by the American Citizen Services unit of the consular section of the US Embassy, which is located at is located at the corner of Calle César Nicolás Penson and Avenida Máximo Gómez. The American Citizens Services (ACS) Unit can be reached by telephone at 809-221-2171, or via email at sdoamericans@state.gov. ACS Unit office hours are 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday, Friday 7:30 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., except on U.S. and Dominican holidays.