Military and overseas voters

Where you call home determines where you can vote. This means that if you are a San Francisco resident currently overseas or serving in the military, you can still vote here.

Keep reading to find out what it means to be a military and overseas (MILOS) voter and how to become one.

MILOS eligibility

Under federal law, you may qualify to be a MILOS voter if you are any of the following:

• An active-duty member of the uniformed services or merchant marine
• A spouse or dependent of an active-duty member of the uniformed services or merchant marine
• A United States citizen living outside the country

MILOS registration

To become a MILOS voter, you must be otherwise eligible to vote. You must also have a San Francisco home address. (If you have never lived in the United States, you can use the San Francisco address of your parent/guardian.)

You can register to be a MILOS voter in one of two ways:

1. Print, complete, and return the Federal Post Card Application to us by mail, fax, or email.
2. Register to vote online (If you do not have a signature with the DMV, you will need to print, sign, and return the application by mail, fax, or email.)

When registering to vote, we strongly recommend choosing email or fax as your preferred ballot delivery option, as these methods can provide faster access while you are away and help avoid potential delays associated with international mail delivery.

When you come home to San Francisco, please re-register to vote to return to local voter status.

MILOS ballot delivery

As a MILOS voter, you can vote in any local, state, or federal contests on your ballot. MILOS ballots are sent 45–60 days before Election Day using the delivery method you choose when registering to vote: email, fax, or mail.

• If you choose email delivery, we will send you a link to a secure portal where you can download and mark your ballot.
• If you choose fax delivery, we will fax you your ballot and return form.

You can use the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot as a backup ballot if you do not receive your local ballot on time.

MILOS ballot return

Any MILOS voter may return their ballot by mail. If you are a MILOS voter living abroad, or a MILOS voter called for military service within the United States in the week before Election Day, you may also return your ballot by fax. To return your ballot, take one of the following actions:

1. Mail your ballot in the official return envelope or use two plain envelopes and a Voter Oath and Ballot Return Form.
   1. We strongly recommend mailing your ballot the moment you complete it to allow sufficient time for international mail delivery. If Election Day is approaching, consider using a private courier (like FedEx, DHL, or UPS) to ensure your ballot reaches the Department on time. To be counted, your ballot must be postmarked by Election Day and received by the Department no later than 7 days after the election.
2. Fax your ballot to 415-558-6102 along with a signed printout of the Voter Oath and Ballot Return Form.

To be counted, your ballot must be faxed before polls close at 8 p.m. Pacific Time on Election Day. Note that you cannot return your ballot by email.

To track your ballot, log into the Voter Portal or sign up for email, text, or voice call notifications.

Phone: (415) 554-4375

Fax: 415-554-4372 (primary) 415-554-7344 (secondary)

TTY: 415-554-4386

中文: 415-554-4367

Español: 415-554-4366

Filipino: 415-554-4310

Email: sfvoteabroad@sfgov.org

Address:1 Dr Carlton B Goodlett Pl Room 48, San Francisco, CA 94102