Location: Guatemala
Event: Update on Voting and Ballots for 2020 U.S. Elections
Registering to Vote is fast, easy, and can be done from anywhere in the world! All U.S. citizens can receive their blank ballots electronically. Depending on the state in which you are eligible to vote, you may receive your ballot by email, fax, or internet download.
Actions to take: Start by confirming your voter registration with your state. Some states require absentee voters to register annually so you may need to re-register. Go to the Federal Voting Assistance Program’s (FVAP) website at FVAP.gov to connect to your state’s voter portal to register to vote, request a ballot, and more.
Researching the Candidates and Issues: Online Resources. Go to the FVAP links page for helpful resources to aid your research of candidates and issues. Non-partisan information about candidates, their voting records, and their positions on issues are widely available and easy to obtain on-line. You can also read national and hometown newspapers online or search the internet to locate articles and information. For information about election dates and deadlines, subscribe to FVAP’s Voting Alerts (vote@fvap.gov). FVAP also shares Voting Alerts via Facebook (@DODFVAP), Twitter (@FVAP), and Instagram (@fvapgov).
Returning Your Completed, Signed Ballot: Some states allow you to return your completed ballot electronically and others do not. If your state requires you to return paper voting forms or ballots to local election officials by mail, you can do so through international mail, professional courier service, or through the U.S. Embassy Guatemala City’s Diplomatic Post Office (DPO). The DPO provides free mail service from embassies and consulates to a U.S. sorting facility. You will need to place your ballots in postage paid return envelopes or in envelopes bearing sufficient U.S. postage, in order for them to be delivered to the proper local election authorities.
If using the DPO, voting material can be dropped off at the screening booth of the U.S. Embassy in Guatemala City, located at the corner of 7 Street “A” and 1 Avenue in Zone 10. The hours of acceptance are from 07:00 a.m. to 02:00 p.m. from Monday to Thursday. DPO transit time from Guatemala to the United States is approximately four weeks. We advise all overseas U.S. citizens to submit their forms and ballots accordingly.
Guidance for American Citizens: The United States Embassy in Guatemala urges that all U.S. citizens who plan to present their ballot for DPO mail comply with the restrictions imposed by the complete closure of the country, as well as all other restrictions and regulations imposed during the state of calamity. These include the mandatory use of masks in public, respecting the curfew, and the restrictions on departmental and inter-departmental movements. U.S. citizens should also be aware that given the fluid nature of the ongoing Guatemalan government movement restrictions, the DPO may close unexpectedly, and the hours, and location, to drop off completed ballots may change.
Learn more about voting and ballots at the Federal Voting Assistance Program’s (FVAP) website, FVAP.gov. If you have any questions about registering to vote overseas, please contact U.S. Embassy Guatemala’s Voting Assistance Officer via amcitsguatemala@state.gov.
Assistance:
U.S. Embassy Guatemala City
https://gt.usembassy.gov/
Tel. (502) 2326-4000
Amcitsguatemala@state.gov
State Department – Consular Affairs
888-407-4747 or 202-501-4444
Guatemala Country Information and Travel Advisory Page
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