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Ask an expatriate about his reasons for settling overseas, and chances are you'll hear, "I want to learn about another culture." But ironically, people living abroad often learn as much about their native culture as they do about the local one.
"I've been living here 28 years, and I feel a lot more American [are] living outside America than living in the country," says Barbara Lief, cochair of Democrats Abroad's Italian committee. If you're living abroad and are starting to feel more American than ever, there are numerous ways that you can stay involved in US politics, with voting, of course, taking precedence.
Voting OverseasIn order to vote overseas, you need to get an absentee ballot from your city or town hall. To do this, mail your city or town hall a Federal Post Card Application (FPCA). FPCAs are available at US embassies and consulates throughout the world. The FPCA is identical for every state, though each has its own policy for submission and use. The Federal Voting Assistance Program's (FVAP)
Web site details the procedures for each state.
If you request an absentee ballot at least 30 days before elections and don't receive the ballot in time for you to mail it back to your city or town hall before election day, you are entitled to vote by Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB) at US embassies and consulates.
Unfortunately, you can't vote or register to vote directly at US embassies or consulates, though they can help you with the FPCA and FWAB.
Stay Involved
Joining political organizations is a great way to stay involved and meet other expats at the same time.
Republicans Abroad International and
Democrats Abroad have branches throughout the world. While the primary goal of these organizations is to increase voter participation overseas, they could prove to be useful starting points as you delve into politics abroad. If your own political views don't correspond to either the Democratic or Republican parties, research other local organizations.
Stay Informed If you're interested in what's going on back home, there are numerous ways to stay informed.
It isn't very difficult to find information about American politics. English-language newspapers and television programming are available throughout the world. And of course, you can always stay up-to-date online. Victor Rossi, chairman of Republicans Abroad International in Italy, emphasizes the convenience of the Internet. "There are Web sites galore," he says. Some of the best for political information and current events include CNN.com's
Allpolitics.com,
PoliticalInformation.com and the
International Herald Tribune Online.
When you're abroad, it's easy to find yourself speaking in generalizations about the US, summing up the culture and political climate for curious interlocutors. This role as a fortuitous spokesperson, coupled with the new perspective that distance brings, could enliven your interest in current events and politics back in the States. And staying active in US politics while living abroad may be one way to forge deeper connections in your location abroad.
For More Information:
The Federal Voting Assistance Program offers several resources for US expats overseas, including:
Stay involved in US politics online with these Web sites: