US Voting :Does Anyone Know How to Ger a Absentee Ballot from the USA

Grizz the Embassy/Consulate helps. (Right now no way. Only doing emergency passports)
You will find info in your nearest US Embassy site under US Citizen services. Also sign up for the US State Dept "STEP" program. They send emails to you about voting , health  and advisories'.

Grizz this may help

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel … oting.html

Thanks "Big Tex"...

Hey Grizz,
Hot off the press:

Message to U.S. Citizens:  FVAP Voting Resources

U.S. Embassy Brasilia, Brazil

May 7, 2020

The Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) is tracking the impact of COVID-19 on U.S. citizens abroad, Service members, and their eligible family members, when voting absentee during the remainder of the 2020 election cycle.

FVAP is in communication with state election offices, the Military Postal Service Agency and other federal agencies to bring you up-to-date information on state election date changes and mailing delays.  Due to the changing nature of the COVID-19 pandemic occurring around the globe, we recommend that you contact your local post offices regarding possible delivery delays before mailing your voted ballot.

Here are some important things to remember:

Submitting your Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) early is the best way to help ensure the process goes as smoothly as possible.
Using the FPCA provides overseas citizens with an option to receive balloting materials electronically.
Using the FPCA early grants voters the ability to use the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB) as a backup ballot, if needed.
Actions to Take:

Check the ballot return options in your state.

Use our online assistant to complete your FPCA.

Use our online assistant to complete your FWAB.

Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive Alerts and Messages from the U.S. Mission to Brazil.

Thanks Tex.

I have an August 11 election in Wisconsin BUT I have 2 problems: 1) it has to be witnessed by another American citizen and 2) it is paper and must be mailed back to Wisconsin (no fax, no email).

My local Correios has indicated that foreign mail service from Brazil has been suspended. I'm unsure if the consulates have any plans to help get votes back to the USA.

Tips? Observations?

Thx
MattB

Matt,

The US Embassy published instructions today.   Tex usually posts them here, so I won't steal his thunder.  Important for your question:  the US Consulates General will forward completed postpaid ballots to your state authorities.  The instructions are in their communication

Go with it ab3. "STEP' has not sent voting steps that I am aware.
Last info:
Request Your Ballot: Complete a new Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) at FVAP.gov. You must complete a new FPCA after January 1, 2020, to ensure you receive a ballot for every federal election for which you are eligible throughout the 2020 election cycle. The completion of the FPCAallows you to request absentee ballots for all elections for federal offices (President, U.S. Senate, and U.S. House of Representatives) including primaries and special elections during the calendar year in which it is submitted. All FPCA forms that are correctly filled out and include a signature and date are accepted by all local election officials in all U.S. states and territories.
You can use FVAP's easy online assistant to walk you through the FPCA at FVAP.gov.  The online voting assistant will ask you questions specific to your state. We encourage you to select the option for receiving your ballot electronically (by email, internet download, or fax, depending on your state) as this is the fastest way for you to get your ballot.                Include your email address on your FPCA to take advantage of the electronic ballot delivery option.  Return the FPCA to your election office per the instructions on the website.              FVAP.gov will tell you if your state accepts the FPCA by email, mail, or fax.  If you must mail your FPCA, please see below for mailing options.

Receive and Complete Your Ballot: States are required to send out ballots 45 days before a regular election for federal office and states generally send out ballots at least 30 days before primary elections.  For most states, you can confirm your registration and ballot delivery online.
Return Your Completed 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, then you can do so free of charge at the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate.  Place your ballots in postage-paid return envelopes or in envelopes bearing sufficient domestic U.S. postage, and address them to the relevant local election officials.
Please note that mailing times during past elections have been quite extensive causing some ballots to arrive after the voting deadline.  The U.S. diplomatic mission to Brazil is unable to predict how long a ballot will take to arrive once mailed.  You are highly encouraged to register your vote electronically when possible to avoid these delays.

If it's more convenient for you, you can also return your FPCA or ballot to your local election officials via international mail or professional courier service at your own expense.

I just got that msg from [email protected]

The item on returning ballots fits my need. Now I need to find out if a US born adult person that has resided in Brazil most of their life (parents were studying in the USA) can be a witness to my ballot preparation - a WI requisite.

Hmmm!

I think it would work.
To bad Consulates are not open, they can do US notary.
I have a notary but expired last year. (Don't tell anyone, I have been known to notarize here since I still have US mail address)

The kind folks at the Recife Consulate have been very helpful in the past but I have had to visit them to get this darned WI witness requirement accomplished. I just sent a note to my Madison City Clerk to see if a US born adult (he's 18 but never voted and doesn't have a US address for voting purposes)  citizen can witness for me.

Or else I need to find another americano around here and all that I've come to know have all left!! 

There must be reading forum: Just received

Celebrate democracy this 4th of July by taking the necessary steps to vote in the 2020 U.S. elections!
In order to vote in the November 2020 elections, all overseas U.S. citizens need to have completed a Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) in 2020.  Whether you are a first-time voter or have already received ballots and voted absentee in past elections, you must complete an FPCA or an absentee ballot request through your state's portal each year to participate in elections as an overseas absentee voter.
Get ready to exercise your right to vote by following the voter registration and ballot request steps outlined below.  Voting Assistance Officers at the U.S. Embassy and Consulates General in Brazil are here to help.  Prepare early this year to ensure your ballot arrives on time!
Our Voting Assistance Officers are available during normal business hours to answer questions and provide assistance by phone and email.  You can also mail us your completed Federal Post Card Application for delivery to the United States free of charge by following the instructions below.
Registering to Vote and submitting a ballot is fast, easy, and can be done from anywhere in the world!  Follow a few simple steps to vote in the 2020 U.S. elections:
1. Register to vote: 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 FVAP.gov to connect to your state's voter portal to register to vote, request a ballot, and more.
2. Request Your Ballot: Most states provide the option to request ballots through their state election portals, which you can easily access via FVAP.gov.  You can also choose to complete a Federal Post Card Application (FPCA).  The completion of the FPCA allows you to request absentee ballots for all elections for federal offices (President, U.S. Senate, and U.S. House of Representatives), including primaries and special elections, during the calendar year in which it is submitted. FPCA forms that are correctly filled out and include a signature and date are accepted by all local election officials in every U.S. state and territory.  FVAP's easy online assistant can assist you with completing the FPCA.
Whether you request your ballot through your state's portal or the FPCA, we encourage you to select the option to receive your ballot electronically (by email, internet download, or fax) when available.  This is the fastest way to get your ballot and ensures you have it in time to return a completed form before your state's deadline.
3. Receive and Complete Your Ballot: States are required to send out ballots 45 days before a regular election for federal office, and states generally send out ballots at least 30 days before primary elections.  Most states allow you to confirm your ballot delivery online.
4. Return Your Completed, Signed Ballot: Some states allow you to return your completed ballot electronically.  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 and Consulates General in Brazil as described above.  You will need to place your ballot in a postage-paid return envelope (an envelope bearing sufficient U.S. postage) in order for it to be delivered to the proper local election authorities.
If you would like us to forward your ballot for you, please mail your prepared, sealed ballot to the U.S. Embassy or nearest Consulate General.  To do so, place your completed ballot in a postage-paid envelope addressed to your local election officials.  Then, place the sealed envelope in a separate envelope, addressed to the U.S. Embassy or nearest Consulate General, with the words “VOTING MATERIAL ENCLOSED” printed on the front of the envelope.  Specific mailing address information for the U.S. Embassy in Brasilia or nearest Consulate General is listed below.  As delivery times are currently taking longer than usual, prepare and mail your ballot as early as possible to ensure it arrives in the United States on time.
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 online.  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 ([email protected]).  FVAP also shares Voting Alerts via Facebook (@DODFVAP), Twitter (@FVAP), and Instagram (@fvapgov).
Learn more at the Federal Voting Assistance Program's (FVAP) website, FVAP.gov.  If you have any questions about registering to vote overseas, please contact Voter Assistance Officers at the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Brazil using the correspondence addresses below:
U.S. Embassy Brasilia
SES – Av. das Nações, Quadra 801, Lote 03
70403-900 – Brasília, DF
Phone: (61) 3312-7000
E-mail: [email protected]
U.S. Consulate General Recife
Rua Goncalves Maia, 163
Bairro Boa Vista Recife, PE – 50070-125
Phone: (81) 3416-3050
Email: [email protected]
U.S. Consulate General Rio de Janeiro
Av. Presidente Wilson, 147 Castelo
Rio de Janeiro, RJ – 20030-020
Phone: (21) 3823-2000
Email: [email protected]
U.S. Consulate General São Paulo
Rua Henri Dunant, 500,
Chácara Santo Antonio,
São Paulo, SP – 04709-110
Phone: (11) 3250-5000
E-mail: [email protected]
U.S. Consulate General Porto Alegre
Rua Bezerra de Menezes, 82
Passo d'Areia,
Porto Alegre, RS – 91350-130
Phone: (51) 3345-6000
E-mail: [email protected]
Remember, your vote counts!

Wisconsin expats wanting to vote... News, your ballot witness need NOT be a U.S. citizen any more per the WI election site: https://elections.wi.gov/voters/overseas

Now if we could only find a way to do this directly via the Internet it'd almost be in step with this digital world!!

"Casting" a vote never felt more like casting than the vote I j-u-s-t cast for an Aug11 Wisconsin vote (Partisan Primary) at the local Correios.

One of these days expats here in Brazil need to come up with the canonical list of everything that should be easy but isn't while living as an expat here.

So I got my "witness" to attest to my filling out of the ballot and stuffing it into an envelope (form attached by tape to an otherwise unmarked envelope containing marked ballot). Then I put that envelope into a larger envelope with First Class postage and addressed to my City Clerk in Wisconsin. Then I put that envelope into a larger envelope that was addressed to the Consulate in Recife and marked appropriately that it contains voting material - and sent it SEDEX because anything else might just sit around in my city for a while. Next the Consulate will get the item and courier it back to the states where they'll pop it into a mailbox and I'm all set.

Given that I just did this for an April election, well, I wish it were simpler in this day of advanced Internet technology. It was instilled in me at an early age that voting is not an optional thing for citizens. Mom used to say, "If you don't vote you lose any right to be critical of politicians."'

Sidebar on casting: I used to be quite the freshwater fisherman in Wisconsin. Never a troller or a netter my greatest pleasure was to try to put that bait, live or artificial, exactly where the "right" fish might be waiting and do so in a way that was convincing to certain kinds of fish considered a bit more noble than others and in a way that was also ethical (break the rules in WI and the game warden WILL get you). The best of the best was early season (plenty of snow on the ground)  trout fishing on the tiniest of creeks that snake through brush and snags such that placing the correct "fly" for that moments "hatch" on the stream with a short fly rod/line, well one had to be an artist.

Casting our votes for politicians should require a lot less effort and be based on a lot more easily accessible and accurate information AND candidates that really care about their communities/counties/states/regions and nation. Why, does it seem, that there are so many that actively pursue making the vote a more difficult thing to practice?

I sent an email to the US Consulate asking if they would forward my FPCA card to USA, if I send it to them.  I got a cautious answer, but the wording seems to suggest "yes".