I have voted in every election I have been eligible to do so since I turned 18. Every municipal, provincial, state, and federal election, along with every primary.
When I moved to Texas, the rule in Canada was that you could vote from aboard for five years after your departure. So at some point that was exhausted and sadly for a period of time I was no longer eligible to vote in either Canada or the U.S. (I was not yet a citizen).
Canada
As of October 2022, the five year limit no longer applies. Check here for the latest rules. But as of the time I am writing this, Canadian citizens living aboard can apply for the International Register of Electors and if granted, receive a special mail ballot for any general election, by-election or referendum. To be on the International Register of Electors, an elector must complete and submit an application.
United States
For the upcoming midterm elections, we requested our ballots online and returned to the embassy, to be sent back to the U.S. through the diplomatic mail pouch.
The process of applying for a mail in ballot varies state by state, so make sure to check your state requirements. The federal government has a website to point you in the right direction. If you are a military or overseas U.S. citizen, you can register to vote and request an absentee ballot in one step. Complete the Federal Post Card Application (FCPA) online.
Voting by mail in Texas is limited to voters who are:
- 65 years of age or older on Election Day;
- Sick or disabled;
- Expecting to give birth within three weeks before or after Election Day;
- Absent from the county of registration during the Early Voting period and on Election Day;
- Civilly committed under Chapter 841 of the Texas Health and Safety Code; or
- Confined in jail, but otherwise eligible.
So what’s the takeaway? Whether you are at home or abroad, there is no excuse not to vote. Here in The Netherlands the embassy has a convenient mailbox available so you can drop it off for free and they even left I voted stickers at the box.
Red, White and Tulips 