Military & Overseas Voters

If you are away from Merced County because you are a member of the military, a military dependent, or a citizen living outside of the United States, you have expanded voting options. The Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act of 1986, commonly referred to as UOCAVA, provides the foundations for sending ballots to military and overseas voters. 

Who can become a military or overseas voter?

If you are eligible to vote in California, you can qualify as a “military or overseas voter” if you are absent from Merced County and you are:

• A member of the active or reserve components of the United States Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard; a Merchant Marine; a member of the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps; a member of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps of the United States; or a member on active status of the National Guard or State Militia;
• A spouse or dependent of a person described above; or
• A U.S. citizen living outside of the territorial limits of the United States or Washington D.C.

How to Register

Complete the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) found at FVAP.gov and mail it to:

Merced County Registrar of Voters
Attn: Vote by Mail
2222 M Street
Merced, CA 95340

Voting and Returning your Military or Overseas Ballot by Mail

1. Mark your choices on the ballot using blue or black ink only.
   • DO NOT place personal information on your ballot that will identify you.
     "Personal Information" includes all of the following:
     • Signature, Initials, name.
     • Address.
     • Voter Identification number, Social Security, or Driver's license number.

2. Enclose the voted ballot in the return envelope
   • If the ballot was received by email, return in an envelope of your choice labeled, "OFFICIAL BALLOT ENCLOSED".

3. Sign and Date the Standard Oath
   • If the ballot was received by mail, the oath will be on the envelope.
   • If the ballot was received by email, the oath will be a separate attachment.
   • The voter must sign as registered.
   • If unable to sign the ballot, a voter may make their mark in the signature box. A witness must sign next to the mark in the signature box and print the voter's name.
   • A signature stamp may also be used if the voter used a signature stamp when they registered to vote.
   • Failure to sign the back of the return ballot envelope will invalidate the ballot and the ballot will not be counted.

4. Affix the Standard Oath to the outside of an envelope (if ballot and oath were received by email).
   • You may insert the sealed envelope inside another envelope for mailing purposes.

5. Seal the envelope

6. Mail to:
   
   Merced County Registrar of Voters
   Attn: Vote by Mail
   2222 M Street
   Merced, CA 95340

Returning Ballots by Fax

If the voter is outside the territorial limits of the United States, they may return the ballot by fax. By faxing the ballot, the voter is waiving their right to secrecy.

• Complete the ballot and the Standard Oath and Oath of Voter. The oath must be signed or the ballot cannot be counted. If unable to locate the Standard Oath and Oath of Voter that came with the ballot packet, please use the Faxed Voted Ballot Form (PDF).
• Fax completed ballot, return identification envelope and the Standard Oath and Oath of Voter to: (209) 385-7387

Deadlines for Submitting Ballots

The ballot should be mailed in time to be received by Merced County elections officials by 8:00 PM on Election Day. Regulations allow elections officials to accept vote by mail ballots that are received by mail no later than three days after Election Day if:

• The ballot is postmarked on or before Election Day or is time stamped or date stamped by a bona fide private mail delivery company on or before Election Day.
• If the ballot has no postmark, a postmark with no date, or an illegible postmark, the vote by mail ballot identification envelope is date stamped by the elections official upon receipt of the vote by mail ballot from the United States Postal Service or a bona fide private mail delivery company, and is signed and dated pursuant to Section 3011 on or before Election Day.

Similarly, for ballots that are submitted via fax, the completed ballot, return identification envelope and oath(s) must be signed and returned by 8:00 PM (PST) on Election Day.

If You Have Not Received Your Ballot

Please contact elections@countyofmerced.com to request a replacement ballot by mail, fax, or email. You may also complete a Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB) (PDF) and use your Online Voter Information Pamphlet to reference the candidates and measures when marking your ballot.