Americans in Israel: Don’t forget there’s an election back home
With the holidays in full swing and Israelis already turning their attention to our own upcoming elections, it would be very easy for Americans living here to overlook another election taking place thousands of miles away.
The United States holds its midterm elections on November 3, 2026.
There is no presidential race this year, but every seat in the US House of Representatives is on the ballot, along with Senate races and, depending on where you vote, state and local contests.
For Americans living in Israel, voting isn’t difficult, but it does take a little more planning.
And that is why I’ll be on Jerusalem’s train path in the German Colony this Thursday evening, September 17, together with other Democrats Abroad Israel volunteers, helping Americans figure out how to register, request their ballots and get them back to the United States.
We’ll be there from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.
You don’t have to be a Democrat to need help navigating overseas voting. The mechanics of getting a ballot from Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Haifa or anywhere else in Israel into the hands of the appropriate county or local election official in the United States can be confusing.
The most important advice I can give is simple: don’t wait.
Start with the FPCA
Americans overseas vote absentee through the state where they are eligible to vote. One of the easiest ways to begin is by completing the Federal Post Card Application, or FPCA.
The FPCA can be used both to register, when necessary, and to request your overseas ballot. The U.S. State Department recommends that Americans abroad submit a new FPCA every year.
You can complete one through VoteFromAbroad.org, a voter-assistance service operated by Democrats Abroad, or directly through the federal government’s Federal Voting Assistance Program at FVAP.gov.
Even if you have voted from Israel many times before, it is worth checking that your registration, email address and other information are up to date.
Once your FPCA has been accepted, your election authority will send you the ballot for the elections in which you are eligible to participate. All eligible overseas voters can vote in federal races; eligibility for some state and local races depends on state law and the voter’s circumstances.
Getting the ballot is only half the job
The more complicated question for many of us is: How do I get it back?
That depends entirely on your state.
Some states permit overseas voters to return completed ballots electronically by email, fax or an online system. Others require the actual ballot to be returned by mail. Vote from Abroad and FVAP both provide state-by-state instructions.
If your state permits electronic return, that obviously removes one of the biggest headaches for those of us living overseas: international mail.
If your state requires a paper ballot, you have several choices.
You can use Israel Post, although I would certainly allow plenty of time and use an express service such as ECO Post. Express international couriers such as DHL, FedEx and UPS are another possibility, bearing in mind that private couriers generally cannot deliver to a post-office box, so the physical address of the Local Election Office must be provided.
As a last resort, Americans abroad can also submit completed ballots through a U.S. embassy or consulate for return to the United States. The State Department advises voters using this method to follow the embassy’s instructions and send ballots sufficiently early to meet their state deadlines. Returning ballots from Israel via diplomatic mail may take up to six weeks.
Whatever route you use, read the instructions that accompany your ballot carefully. Deadlines and permissible return methods really do vary from state to state.
And if your ballot never arrives?
There is another safeguard that surprisingly few Americans overseas know about.
If you requested your ballot but have not received it in time, you may be able to use the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB) as an emergency backup ballot. The State Department recommends using it if you have completed the necessary steps but still have not received your official ballot 30 days before the election.
That is one more reason to start the process now rather than discovering a problem during the final days of October.
Living abroad doesn’t end the connection
For those of us who have lived in Israel for many years, America can sometimes feel simultaneously very far away and very close.
We follow what happens there. Many of us have children, parents, siblings and friends there. We may collect Social Security, pay U.S. taxes, own property, work with American organizations or simply continue to feel deeply connected to the country in which we were born or raised.
And we remain American citizens.
Voting from Jerusalem takes a little more effort than walking into the neighborhood polling station I once used in the United States. But the extra bureaucracy is manageable.
So if you are an American in Israel and have been thinking, I really have to figure out my ballot, now is the time.
Visit VoteFromAbroad.org or FVAP.gov, check your registration and request your ballot. You can check out the full guide to returning your ballot from Israel at the Democrats Abroad Israel website.
If you need assistance, Vote from Abroad offers guidance, state-specific information, FAQs, and an online chat. Trained voter assistance is also available through live online support. You can also email voterhelp@democratsabroad.org.
And if you’re in Jerusalem Thursday evening, come find us on the train path in the German Colony between 5:00 and 7:00 p.m. We’ll help you figure it out.
Because November 3 is closer than it seems.
