Date: September 27th, 2020
Location: Port of Spain
Event: Embassies and consulates are not polling places. Don’t wait! Return your voted ballot right away! States have already started emailing and physically mailing out absentee ballots. When you receive yours, fill it out as soon as possible! Many states require voted ballots to reach local election officials by the close of polls on Tuesday, November 3rd. U.S. embassies and consulates are not polling places; same-day, in-person voting is not available outside the United States.
Never received your ballot? If you have registered to vote and requested your absentee ballot prior to your state’s registration and absentee ballot request deadlines, but have not yet received your ballot, you should immediately complete and return a Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot to ensure your vote reaches election officials by your state’s deadline. If your regular ballot arrives later, go ahead and complete and return it as well. Your Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot will only be counted if your regular ballot does not reach local election officials by your state’s deadline. Your vote will not be counted twice.
The recommended date to return your voted paper ballot to your local election officials for the November 3rd election is a month in advance, by October 2nd 2020. If you wish to drop off your voted ballot or have a friend or colleague drop it off for you, place it in either a postage-paid envelope or envelope bearing domestic U.S. postage addressed to your local election officials, and bring it to the main entrance of the U.S. Embassy, 15 Queen’s Park West, across from the Savannah, between the hours of 7:00 am – 4:00 pm any Monday thru Friday, even on holidays.
Ballots not sent to local election officials by Embassy Port of Spain’s recommended shipment deadline. If you wish to participate in this election and are not able to send your ballot to your local election officials by the U.S. Embassy’s recommended drop-off deadline of October 2nd, you should consider returning your ballot to the United States either via an express courier service (such as FedEx, UPS, or DHL) or electronically via email if such means are allowed by your state. Ballots sent to local election officials via express courier service do not receive standard postmarks, so voters using this method should confirm delivery on or before November 3rd prior to payment and shipment. Check your state’s voting procedures at www.FVAP.gov for guidance. The U.S. Embassy will still accept ballots through November 3, 2020, but cannot guarantee a ballot turned in after October 2 will arrive in time to meet state receipt deadlines.
Returning your Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot by email or fax. Consult and carefully review your state’s voting procedures at www.FVAP.gov. Each state has its own absentee voting procedure, so it is essential you understand and follow instructions exactly.
Returning your ballot by mail. Ballots sent via regular international mail (like TTPost) from most countries at a late date are unlikely to reach local election officials by state ballot receipt deadlines. If you still wish to send your voted ballot via mail, place your voted ballot in a U.S. postage-paid envelope addressed to your local election official. Drop it off at the U.S. Embassy and we’ll send it back home for you without the need to pay international postage. If you can’t visit the Embassy in person, ask a friend or colleague drop it off for you. If it’s easier for you to use Trinidad and Tobago’s postal system, be sure to affix sufficient international postage, and allow sufficient time for international mail delivery.
Currently in Tobago? – The U.S. Embassy Voting Assistance Officer will be visiting Tobago on October 1st to collect properly addressed ballots. They will be accepting ballots between 1:30 pm and 4:30 pm at the Ministry of Health, Division of Health, Wellness and Family Development located on Wilson Road.
HELP SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT OVERSEAS VOTING. Please help spread the word to your friends, family, and colleagues that now is the time to start thinking about overseas voting. Consider posting to your Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, or other social media account that you are an active voter and will be dropping off or mailing your Federal Post Card Application or completed ballot. Use #ProudOverseasVoter to help get the word out about voting.
Have Questions? Please contact U.S. Embassy Port of Spain’s Voting Assistance Officer at 868-622-6371, or at acspos@state.gov. You can also contact the Federal Voting Assistance Program directly if you encounter issues with local election officials by emailing Vote@FVAP.gov or by phone 703-588-1584 (toll free 1-800-438-VOTE).
Confirm your registration and ballot delivery online. Learn more at the Federal Voting Assistance Program’s (FVAP) website at www.FVAP.gov.
Assistance:
U.S. Embassy Port of Spain
15 Queen’s Park West
Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago
Telephone + (868) 622-6371
Emergency + (868) 622-6371, then press 1.
Fax + (868) 822-5955
Email: ACSPOS@state.gov
Website: tt.usembassy.gov