Military & Overseas Voters :: California Secretary of State

Tips for California's Military and Overseas Voters (PDF)

Thank you for taking part in elections while you are in the military or other uniformed service, or a civilian living outside the United States.

The information and resources on this page are intended to make participating in elections as easy and rewarding for you as possible. Here, you will learn the basic steps to become a military or overseas voter so you are eligible to vote when you are absent from your county while serving and/or living overseas and discover how state and federal laws work to protect your precious right to vote.

As a military or overseas voter who is registered to vote, there are several different ways you can request and receive your ballot and return your voted ballot and signed Military and Overseas Voter Return Envelope.

Register to Vote and/or Request a Ballot

Even if you are or were registered to vote in your county, in order to receive your election materials and vote when you are absent from your county while serving and/or living overseas, you need to complete the online voter registration application or complete the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) (PDF).

When you complete the online voter registration application or the FPCA, you can choose to have your ballot and the accompanying Military or Overseas Voter Return Envelope mailed, faxed, or emailed to you. You may even be able to download them from your county elections official's website. Check the list below for the options in your county.

The FPCA, as well as answers to frequently asked questions, is available from the Federal Voting Assistance Program. Members of the military can also obtain an FPCA from their installation's Voting Assistance Officer. Civilian overseas voters can obtain an FPCA at any U.S. embassy or consulate. You can mail or fax your completed FPCA to your county elections official. If you mail the FPCA, postage is pre-paid in the U.S. mail, including the Military Postal System and State Department Pouch mail. If you are already registered to vote and are only submitting an FPCA to register as a military or overseas voter, you can email your completed and signed FPCA to your county elections official.

Return Your Voted Ballot and Signed Military or Overseas Voter Return Envelope

Return your voted ballot and signed Military or Overseas Voter Return Envelope to your county elections official. Mail or fax (under certain circumstances) your voted ballot and signed return envelope following the Secretary of State's online instructions under "Mailing Addresses and Fax Numbers for Military or Overseas Voters".

If mailing: Your voted ballot and signed return envelope must be postmarked on or before Election Day and received by your county elections office no later than 7 days after Election Day.

To make sure your voted ballot has enough time to arrive to your county elections official, we recommend you send it back by:

Your Location	Primary Election (March 5, 2024)	General Election (November 5, 2024)
On a ship at sea	January 27, 2024	September 28, 2024
Outside the U.S.	February 19, 2024	October 21, 2024
Stateside	February 26, 2024	October 28, 2024

For military voters and their family members only: USPS Priority Mail Express Label 11-DOD provides free express mail service for federal general election vote-by-mail ballots. You can request to have this applied to your ballot at Military Postal Office locations (APO/FPO); it is also available at Department of State embassies or consulates. This label permits ballots to be treated as express mail upon return to the United States and be trackable through the U.S. Postal Service. For more information, contact FVAP.

If faxing: If you are living outside the territorial limits of the United States or are called for military service within the United States on or after the seventh day prior to Election Day, you may return your ballot by fax, but it must be received by your county elections office by 8:00 p.m. on Election Day. If you decide to fax your voted ballot and signed Military or Overseas Voter Return Envelope, you must also fax an "Oath of Voter" form to waive your right to a confidential vote. This oath is in addition to the voter's declaration that is on the Military or Overseas Voter Return Envelope. Please use the oath form your county provides to you; however, many counties also accept the "Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) Transmission Cover Sheet (PDF)". Please check with your county before using FVAP's Transmission Cover Sheet.

Under California law, while you may receive a blank ballot by email, you may not return a voted ballot by email.

For additional information and resources, see the links on the left side of this page.

County	Method to submit your FPCA or receive your ballot	Method to return your voted ballot and signed Military or Overseas Voter Return Envelope	County Contact Information
Alameda County Voter Information Guide	Mail Fax: (510) 470-7995 Email	Mail Fax: (510) 470-7995	Alameda Registrar of Voters 1225 Fallon Street, Room G1 Oakland, CA 94612 Phone: (510) 272-6973 Email Website
Alpine	Mail Fax: (530) 694-2491 Email	Mail Fax: (530) 694-2491	Alpine County Clerk, Registrar of Voters P.O. Box 158 Markleeville, CA 96120-0158 Phone: (530) 694-2281 Email Website
Amador	Mail Fax: (209) 223-6467 Email	Mail Fax: (209) 223-6467	Amador County Elections 810 Court Street Jackson, CA 95642-2132 Phone: (209) 223-6465 Email Website
Butte	Mail Fax: (530) 538-6853 Email	Mail Fax: (530) 538-6853	Butte County Clerk, Registrar of Voters 155 Nelson Avenue Oroville, CA 95965-3361 Phone: (530) 552-3400, option 1 Email Website
Calaveras	Mail Fax: (209) 754-6733 Email	Mail Fax: (209) 754-6733	Calaveras County Clerk, Elections Department 891 Mountain Ranch Road San Andreas, CA 95249-9713 Phone: (209) 754-6376 Email Website
Colusa	Mail Fax: (530) 458-0512 Email	Mail Fax: (530) 458-0512	Colusa County Registrar of Voters 546 Jay Street, Ste. 200 Colusa, CA 95932-2400 Phone: (530) 458-0500 Email Website
Contra Costa	Mail Fax: (925) 335-7836 Email	Mail Fax: (925) 335-7843	Contra Costa County Elections Division P.O. Box 271 Martinez, CA 94553-0027 Phone: (925) 335-7800 Email Website
Del Norte	Mail Fax: (707) 465-0321 Email	Mail Fax: (707) 465-0321	Del Norte County Elections 981 H Street Room 160 Crescent City, CA 95531-3457 Phone: (707) 465-0383 Email Website
El Dorado	Mail Fax: (530) 626-5514 Email	Mail Fax: (530) 626-5514	El Dorado County Elections P.O Box 678001, Placerville, 95667 Phone: (530) 621-7481 Email Website
Fresno	Mail Fax: (559) 488-3279 Email	Mail Fax: (559) 488-3279	Fresno County Clerk-Elections 2221 Kern Street Fresno, CA 93721-2613 Phone: (559) 600-8683 Email Website
Glenn	Mail Fax: (530) 934-6571 Email	Mail Fax: (530) 934-6571	Glenn County Clerk-Elections 516 W. Sycamore Street, 2nd Floor Willows, CA 95988-2740 Phone: (888) 677-9461 Email Website
Humboldt	Mail Fax: (707) 445-7204 Email	Mail Fax: (707) 445-7204	Humboldt County Office of Elections 2426 6th Street Eureka, CA 95501-4409 Phone: (707) 445-7481 Email Website
Imperial	Mail Fax: (442) 265-1062 Email	Mail Fax: (442) 265-1062	Imperial County Registrar of Voters 940 W Main Street, Ste. 206 El Centro, CA 92243-2839 Phone: (442) 265-1060 Email Website
Inyo	Mail Fax: (760) 878-1805 Email	Mail Fax: (760) 878-1805	Inyo County Elections 168 N. Edwards, PO Drawer F Independence, CA 93526-0606 Phone: (760) 878-0224 Email Website
Kern	Mail Fax: (661) 868-3723 or (661) 868-3768 Email	Mail Fax: (661) 868-3723 or (661) 868-3768	Kern County Clerk - Elections Office 1115 Truxtun Avenue, 1st Floor Bakersfield, CA 93301-4639 Phone: (661) 868-3590 Email Website
Kings	Mail Fax: (559) 585-8453 Email	Mail Fax: (559) 585-8453	County of Kings Elections 1400 W. Lacey Boulevard, Bldg #7, Hanford, CA 93230 Phone: (559) 852-4882 Email Website
Lake	Mail Fax: (707) 263-2742 Email	Mail Fax: (707) 263-2742	Registrar of Voters 325 N Forbes Street Lakeport, CA 95453-4747 Phone: (707) 263-2372 Email Website
Lassen	Mail Fax: (530) 257-3480 Email	Mail Fax: (530) 257-3480	Lassen County Clerk, Registrar of Voters 220 S. Lassen Street, Ste. 5 Susanville, CA 96130-4343 Phone: (530) 251-8217 Email Website
Los Angeles	Mail Fax :(562) 232-7924 or (877) 614-1127 Email	Mail Fax :(562) 232-7925 or (877) 614-1128	Los Angeles Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk Mailing Address: P O Box 30960 Los Angeles CA 90030-0960 12400 Imperial Highway Norwalk, CA 90650-8357 Phone: (800) 815-2666, option 2 Email Website
Madera	Mail Fax: (559) 675-7870 Email	Mail Fax: (559) 675-7870	Madera County Elections Division 200 W. 4th Street Madera, CA 93637-3548 Phone: (800) 435-0509 Email Website
Marin	Mail Fax: (415) 473-4244 or (415) 473-6447 Email	Mail Fax: (415) 473-4244 or (415) 473-6447	County of Marin Elections P O Box E, San Rafael, CA 94913-3904 Phone: (415) 473-6441 Email Website
Mariposa	Mail Fax: (209) 966-6496 Email	Mail Fax: (209) 966-6496	Mariposa County Elections Department P.O. Box 247 Mariposa, CA 95338-0247 Phone: (209) 966-2007 Email Website
Mendocino	Mail Fax: (707) 463-4257 Email	Mail Fax: (707) 463-4257	Mendocino County Clerk-Elections 501 Low Gap Road, Room 1020 Ukiah, CA 95482-3738 Phone: (707) 234-6819 Email Website
Merced	Mail Fax: (209) 385-7387 Email	Mail Fax: (209) 385-7387	Merced County Registrar of Voters - Elections 2222 M Street Merced, CA 95348 Phone: (800) 561-0619 Email Website
Modoc	Mail Fax: (530) 233-6666 Email	Mail Fax: (530) 233-6666	Modoc County Clerk-Elections 108 E Modoc Street Alturas, CA 96101-4020 Phone: (530) 233-6200 Email Website
Mono	Mail Fax: (760) 932-5531 Email	Mail Fax: (760) 932-5531	Mono County Clerk-Elections PO Box 237, Bridgeport, CA 93517 Phone: (760) 932-5537 Email or Email Website
Monterey	Mail Fax: (831) 755-5485 Email	Mail Fax: (831) 755-5485	Monterey County Elections PO BOX 4400, Salinas, CA 93912 Phone: (831) 796-1499 Email Website
Napa	Mail Fax: (707) 299-4100 Email	Mail Fax: (707) 253-4390 Additional Fax: (707) 299-4100	Napa County Elections Division 1127 First St. Ste. E Napa, CA 94559 Phone: (707) 299-1470 Email Website
Nevada	Mail Fax: (530) 265-9829 Email	Mail Fax: (530) 265-9829	Nevada County Clerk - Elections 950 Maidu Avenue Suite 210, Nevada City, CA 95959 Phone: (530) 265-1298 Email Website
Orange	Mail Fax: (714) 567-5100 or (714) 567-7644 Email	Mail Fax: (714) 567-5100 or (714) 567-7644	Orange County Registrar of Voters P.O. Box 11298, Santa Ana, CA 92711 Phone: (714) 567-7560 Email Website
Placer	Mail Fax: (530) 886-5691 Email	Mail Fax: (530) 886-5691	Placer County Registrar of Voters 2956 Richardson Dr. Auburn, CA 95603-2640 Phone: (530) 886-5650 Email Website
Plumas	Mail Fax: (530) 283-6155 Email	Mail Fax: (530) 283-6155	Plumas County Clerk - Elections 520 Main Street, Room 102 Quincy, CA 95971-9366 Phone: (530) 283-6256 Email Website
Riverside	Mail Fax: (951) 486-7272 or (951) 486-7335 Email	Mail Fax: (951) 486-7272 or (951) 486-7335	Riverside Registrar of Voters 2724 Gateway Drive Riverside, CA 92507-0918 Phone: (951) 486-7200 or (800) 773-8683 Email Website
Sacramento	Mail Fax: (916) 854-9796 or (916) 854-8856 Email	Mail Fax: (916) 854-9796	County of Sacramento Voter Registration and Elections 7000 65th St, Suite A, Sacramento, CA 95823 Phone: (916) 875-6155 Email Website
San Benito	Mail Fax: (831) 636-2939 Email	Mail Fax: (831) 636-2939	San Benito County Clerk-Recorder-Elections Court House 440 Fifth Street, Room 206 Hollister, CA 95023-3843 Phone: (831) 636-4016 Email Website
San Bernardino	Mail Fax: (909) 386-8388 or (909) 387-2022 Email	Mail Fax: (909) 386-8388 or (909) 387-2022	San Bernardino Registrar of Voters 777 E. Rialto Avenue San Bernardino, CA 92415 Phone: (909) 387-8300 Email Website
San Diego	Mail Fax: (858) 505-7294 Email	Mail Fax: (858) 467-9670	San Diego Registrar of Voters Address to submit FPCA: P.O. Box 85520, San Diego, CA 92186-5520; Address to submit ballot: P.O. Box 85902, San Diego CA 92186-5902 Phone: (858) 565-5800 Email Website
San Francisco	Mail Fax: (415) 554-4372 Email	Mail Fax: (415) 554-4372	San Francisco Elections, City Hall 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place Room 48 San Francisco, CA 94102-4608 Phone: (415) 554-4375 Email Website
San Joaquin	Mail Fax: (209) 468-9534 Email	Mail Fax: (209) 468-9534	San Joaquin Registrar of Voters P.O Box 810, Stockton, CA 95202 Phone: (209) 468-2890 Email Website
San Luis Obispo	Mail Fax: (805) 781-1111 Email	Mail Fax: (805) 781-1111	San Luis Obispo County Clerk-Elections 1055 Monterey Street, Room D120 San Luis Obispo, CA 93408-1003 Phone: (805) 781-5228 Email Website
San Mateo	Mail Fax: (650) 312-5348 Email	Mail Fax: (650) 312-5348	San Mateo County Registration & Elections Division 40 Tower Road San Mateo, CA 94402-4098 Phone: (650) 312-5222 Email Website
Santa Barbara	Mail Fax: (805) 568-2209 or (805) 681-4003 Email	Mail Fax: (805) 568-2209 or (805) 681-4003	Santa Barbara County Clerk-Elections P.O. Box 61510 Santa Barbara, CA 93160-1510 Phone: (833) 421-0251 Email Website
Santa Clara County Voter Information Guide	Mail Fax: (408) 293-6002 Email	Mail Fax: (408) 293-6002	Santa Clara Registrar of Voters 1555 Berger Drive, Building 2 San Jose, CA 95112-2716 Phone: (408) 282-0210 Email Website
Santa Cruz	Mail Fax: (831) 454-2445 Email	Mail Fax: (831) 454-2445	Santa Cruz County Clerk - Elections 701 Ocean Street, Room 310 Santa Cruz, CA 95060-4076 Phone: (831) 454-2060 Email Website
Shasta	Mail Fax: (530) 225-5454 Email	Mail Fax: (530) 225-5454	Shasta County Clerk-Elections 1643 Market Street Redding, CA 96001-1022 Phone: (530) 225-5730 Email Website
Sierra	Mail Fax: (530) 289-2830 Email	Mail Fax: (530) 289-2830	Sierra County Clerk-Elections 100 Courthouse Square, Room 11 P.O. Drawer D Downieville, CA 95936-0398 Phone: (530) 289-3295 Email Website
Siskiyou	Mail Fax: (530) 841-4110 Email	Mail Fax: (530) 841-4110	Siskiyou County Clerk-Elections 311 Fourth Street, Room 201, Yreka, CA 96097 Phone: (530) 842-8084 Email Website
Solano	Mail Fax: (707) 784-1424 Email	Mail Fax: (707) 784-1424	Solano Registrar of Voters 675 Texas Street, Suite 2600 Fairfield, CA 94533-6338 Phone: (707) 784-6675 Text "Solano" to 2VOTE (28683) Email Website
Sonoma County Voter Information Guide	Mail Fax: (707) 565-6862 or (707) 565-6843 Email	Mail Fax: (707) 565-6862 or (707) 565-6843	Sonoma County Clerk, Registrar of Voters PO Box 11485, Santa Rosa, CA 95406-1485 Phone: (707) 656-6803 Email Website
Stanislaus County Voter Information Guide	Mail Fax: (209) 525-5803 or (209) 525-5802 Email	Mail Fax: (209) 525-5803 or (209) 525-5802	Stanislaus County Clerk, Registrar of Voters 1021 I Street, Suite 101 Modesto, CA 95354-2331 Phone: (209) 525-5201 Email Website
Sutter	Mail Fax: (530) 822-7587 Email	Mail Fax: (530) 822-7587	Sutter County Clerk-Elections 1435 Veterans Memorial Circle Yuba City, CA 95993-3011 Phone: (209) 525-5235 Email Website
Tehama	Mail Fax: (530) 527-1140 Email	Mail Fax: (530) 527-1140	Tehama County Clerk-Elections P.O. Box 250 Red Bluff, CA 96080-0250 Phone: (530) 527-8190 Email Website
Trinity	Mail Fax: (530) 623-8398 Email	Mail Fax: (530) 623-8398	Trinity County Clerk - Elections P.O. Box 1215 11 Court Street Weaverville, CA 96093-1258 Phone: (530) 623-1220 Email Website
Tulare	Mail Fax: (559) 737-4498 Email	Mail Fax: (559) 737-4498	Tulare County Registrar of Voters 5300 West Tulare Avenue, Suite 105 Visalia, CA 93277 Phone: (559) 839-2100 Email Website
Tuolumne	Mail Fax: (209) 694-8931 Email	Mail Fax: (209) 694-8931	Tuolumne County Clerk - Elections 2 South Green Street Sonora, CA 95370-4696 Phone: (209) 533-5570 Email Website
Ventura County Voter Information Guide	Mail Fax: (805) 648-9200 Additional Fax: (805) 654-3989 Email	Mail Fax: (805) 648-9200 Additional Fax: (805) 654-3989	Ventura County Clerk-Elections 800 S. Victoria Avenue, L-1200 Ventura, CA 93009-1200 Phone: (805) 654-2664 Email Website
Yolo	Mail Fax: (530) 666-8123 Email	Mail Fax: (530) 666-8123	Yolo County Clerk-Registration 625 Court Street, Room B05 Woodland, CA 95695-3475 Phone: (530) 666-8133 Email Website
Yuba	Mail Fax: (530) 749-7854 Email	Mail Fax: (530) 749-7854	Yuba County Clerk 915 8th Street, Suite 107 Marysville, CA 95901-5273 Phone: (530) 749-7855 Email Website

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