Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico - Though the General Election is still a month away, it's time for U.S. overseas voters to start returning their absentee ballots to ensure they arrive by state deadlines.

Here in Puerto Vallarta, VotefromAbroad volunteers will be available on Wednesday, October 10 at tables in front of Daiquiri Dick's, from 10:30 am to 2:30 pm, to provide information on getting your ballots back to the U.S. in time. It is past the safe interval to get your ballots sent back in the U.S. consulate pouch.

For those who requested absentee ballots sent, all states have sent ballots to those registered and who requested those ballots. If you have not received yours and are registered, call or email your election commission to ask again.

To return ballots, the following states allow ballots to be faxed: Alaska (request a ballot by email first), Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Hawaii, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska (contact for permission), Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Utah, Washington, West Virginia. Check with your local election office to find out if a paper ballot is necessary to send to validate as well. If so, send the paper ballot only.

Some states allow ballots to be scanned and emailed back. They are: Arizona, Colorado (through ballotreturn.sos.colorado.gov only), Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Indiana, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oregon, South Carolina, Utah, Washington, West Virginia.

Check with your local election office to determine if a paper ballot is required as back-up and, if so, send only the paper ballot. If a paper ballot is not required, ask if they have a secure email address for sending your ballot, and if you need to send a proof of identification as well.

If your state is not mentioned above, paper ballots are required. If you have not yet sent one, you have a couple of options. First, you can send your ballot through IShop & Mail on Mina (about ½ block east from the lighthouse on the Malecón) or in the Peninsula Shopping Center. The charge is 76 pesos and you will have to provide U.S. postage. It will take 8 to 10 days to get there.

If you are too late to receive a state ballot, a Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB) is available at our volunteer tables or can be downloaded from VoteFromAbroad.org or fvap.gov. This ballot allows you to vote for Senators and Representatives only for this election. The same modes of delivery apply to these FWAB ballots.

For further information regarding your state requirements, ask the volunteers on October 10 or contact your local election commission. You can also get answers at iwillvote.com.