While the two candidates competing for the American presidential election are still neck and neck, the vote of citizens living abroad could prove crucial. We take stock of the voting arrangements from France.
As the website of the United States Embassy in France reminds us, “almost all American citizens aged 18 or older who reside outside the United States can vote by mail for candidates for federal office in primary elections and general in the United States.
In France as elsewhere, “anyone wishing to vote in the American elections from abroad must send a new Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) to their county election office in January of each year,” continues the embassy.
Voting is then done electronically or by mail if the voter prefers or if the state on which they depend requires it. In the case of voting by mail, the voter must submit their ballot to the embassy or consulate “at least one month before the receipt deadline”, which varies by state. The details of the instructions are provided by the local American officials to whom the voter depends, who will also indicate all the documents to be attached to the envelope.
Although it is permitted by the American electoral code, voting from abroad is criticized, in particular by the Trump camp. Legal actions have already been initiated, notably by supporters of the Republican camp, to question the admissibility of postal ballots, as reported by AFP.
