New Jersey Overseas Voting Guide
If New Jersey is your last U.S. residence, this is where your ballot comes from — no matter what country you live in now, and however long you have been away. The deadlines below are for the November 3, 2026 federal general election.
New Jersey deadlines at a glance
New Jersey deadlines at a glance
Election Day
Nov 3, 2026
Register to vote
PassedDeadline
Oct 13, 2026
Received by Oct 13, 2026.
Request your ballot
PassedSee the rules ↓Deadlines as early as
Oct 27, 2026
Received by Oct 27, 2026.
See the detail below
Return your voted ballot
PassedSee the rules ↓Deadlines as early as
Nov 3, 2026
+6 days to arrivePostmarked by Nov 3, 2026.
Varies by how you send it — see below
These dates and process details come from the Federal Voting Assistance Program's 2026–27 Voting Assistance Guide, the U.S. Department of Defense's official source for New Jersey. Deadlines can change after it is published, so confirm anything you are close to with your local election official.
Registering and requesting your ballot
Request your New Jersey ballot
One federal form registers you and requests your absentee ballot. Overseas voters file it again every election year, even if you voted last time.
New Jersey asks new registrants for the last four digits of your Social Security number or a state-issued ID or driver's license number.
Ballot request deadline: October 27, 2026. New Jersey accepts a request sent by email or fax until October 30.
Use the backup ballotRequest your ballotearliest Oct 27, 2026See the rules
Received by Oct 27, 2026
Received by Oct 30, 2026
New Jersey sets more than one date for this step, depending on how you submit. Meeting the earliest one is safe whichever method you use.
Receiving your ballot
Once New Jersey accepts your form, it sends you your ballot. Federal law required states to send ballots to overseas voters by September 19, 2026 for requests already on file. A request made now is sent once it is processed.
Still waiting for your ballot?
Let us know. We track delivery issues and raise them with election officials.
Returning your New Jersey ballot
New Jersey lets you send your voted ballot by email or fax, but that does not finish the job — the paper ballot must still reach your election official in the post. Plan for international mail time as well.
Return your ballot according to the instructions that came with it — the envelopes, the signature and any witness or ID requirement are set by your state. If anything is missing or you are not sure what they want, your local election official is the person to ask.
4 ways to return it — choose one
Scan or photograph your voted ballot and any forms in your packet, and email them to your election office. The address and any cover sheet come with your ballot.
By email, received by Nov 3, 2026 at 8 PM New Jersey time
The paper ballot must be posted as well, whichever other method you use
Fax
First step onlyFax your voted ballot and any forms in your packet to your election office. The number comes with your ballot.
Fax it yourself: a commercial online fax service, such as Dropbox Fax, sends a PDF from your phone or computer.
Emailed your ballot to FVAP in a past election? That service ended in August 2025. Emails to its old address still go through, but nothing is faxed.
By fax, received by Nov 3, 2026 at 8 PM New Jersey time
The paper ballot must be posted as well, whichever other method you use
Post
Post your voted ballot in the return envelope from your packet. International postage from your country applies, and delivery takes two to three weeks from most places.
Postmarked by Nov 3, 2026
It must still arrive within 6 days of Election Day.
By courier — DHL, FedEx or UPS
Faster, costs moreA courier takes a few days instead of a few weeks and gives you tracking. It costs more than international postage, and how much depends on the country you are sending from.
Same deadlines as returning by post:
Postmarked by Nov 3, 2026
It must still arrive within 6 days of Election Day.
After you send it
- Check it arrived
New Jersey's ballot lookup shows whether your voted ballot came back.
Additional resources
The official places to check your ballot, reach the office that handles it, and read the rules in full.
New Jersey overseas voting questions
What is the New Jersey ballot deadline for overseas voters?
As early as November 3, 2026 at 8 PM New Jersey time. Varies by how you send it.
What if my New Jersey ballot has not arrived?
If your ballot has not arrived and your deadline is close, the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot is the federal backup ballot. You can fill it in for federal offices and send it now; if your real ballot turns up later, complete and return that too — only one of them is counted. Whether it can also register you in New Jersey is not stated in the federal guide — ask your local election official if you are not yet registered.
Can I email or fax my ballot back in New Jersey?
Only as a first step. New Jersey accepts a voted ballot by email, fax or post, but the paper ballot must still be posted as well. Allow for international mail time.
Can I still email my New Jersey ballot to fax@fvap.gov?
No. The Federal Voting Assistance Program ended that email-to-fax service in August 2025. Emails to the address still go through without an error, but nothing is faxed to your election office. If you fax, send it to the office yourself: a commercial online fax service, such as Dropbox Fax, sends a PDF from your phone or computer.
When is the New Jersey registration deadline for overseas voters?
Received by October 13, 2026.
How do I check that my New Jersey ballot was counted?
New Jersey offers an online ballot-status lookup where you can check that your ballot was sent and that your voted ballot came back. Here's the link: Check your New Jersey ballot status (opens in a new tab)
Who is my local election official in New Jersey?
Your local election official is the county or municipal office that handles registration and ballots for your last U.S. address in New Jersey. You can look up their contact details on our election-office finder.
More questions?
Our team answers questions from overseas voters every day. Ask us anything this page did not cover.
Ready to request your New Jersey ballot?
One form registers you and requests your ballot.