THE 60th quadrennial presidential election is fast approaching. If you are a United States citizen living in Jamaica and want to vote in next month’s presidential election, you can register and request your absentee ballot today.

If you intend to return to your domicile in the US to cast your vote or for upcoming holiday travel, you will need a valid US passport to travel to the country.

Naturalised US citizens cannot enter the United States using a naturalisation certificate and must apply for a US passport.

Visit jm.usembassy.gov/passports to apply for and/or schedule an appointment for a US passport.

Q. How do I register for an absentee ballot?

Visit FVAP.gov to register to vote absentee for the 2024 presidential election. You will also find details of upcoming local, state, and federal elections, registration dates, and deadlines to request ballots. Depending on which state you are eligible to vote in, you might be able to receive your ballot by e-mail, fax, or Internet download.

The Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) is the official US government programme for overseas voting.

Q. When will I get my ballot?

States are required to send out ballots 45 days before a regular election for federal office. If you request a ballot by e-mail, then the ballot should arrive right away. Mailed ballots will take longer to arrive. We recommend you request your ballot as early as possible.

Q. How do I send in my ballot?

The requirements vary from state to state. Some states allow you to return your completed ballot electronically, and deadlines vary. For example, Florida and New York require absentee ballots be postmarked by November 5 to be counted in the upcoming presidential election. As such, mail your ballot as soon as possible in order for it to reach the voting office in the United States.

Once you have completed your voter registration, absentee ballot request, and/or ballot and are ready to submit it, you can send it through international mail, professional courier service, or by dropping it off at the US Embassy in Kingston or the US Consular Agency in Montego Bay or George Town, Cayman Islands.

The envelope must be the one provided by the voter registration in your state or the generic version that you can print from the fvap.gov website for us to mail it on your behalf. The fvap.gov generic envelope version provides an indicator that no postage is required in the upper right-hand corner.

The US Embassy applicant entrance at 142 Old Hope Road, Kingston 6, is open from 7:15 am to 4:00 pm, Monday through Friday, except US and Jamaican holidays.

The US Consular Agency Montego Bay at Whitter Village, Suite EU1, Rose Hall, St James, is open from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm, Monday to Friday, except US and Jamaican holidays.

The US Consular Agency Cayman Islands at 150 Smith Road, Smith Road Center, Unit 202B, George Town, KY1-1010 Grand Cayman, is open from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm, Monday through Friday, except US and Cayman holidays.

Q. Can I vote in person at the US Embassy or at the US Consular Agency on election day?

No. Neither the US Embassy nor the US Consular Agency are polling places. You must register to vote and request an absentee ballot to vote from Jamaica through FVAP at
FVAP.gov.

Q. If I did not receive my absentee ballot in time for the general election, can I still vote?

Yes. Both the US Embassy and the US Consular Agency have official backup ballots that can be used to vote for federal offices. For both Florida and New York, you must be registered to vote and have already requested an absentee ballot in order to use the official backup ballots. You may contact American Citizen Services in early October if you have not received your absentee ballot and would like to request voting by official backup ballot.

You can find more information about American Citizen Services on our website, https://jm.usembassy.gov/ and more information on voting in the 2024 election on our Facebook Live chat on February 21, 2024. Stay on top of Embassy news on our Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/USEmbassyJamaica/and by following @USEmbassyJA on X.s