Living in Puerto Vallarta or around Banderas Bay doesn’t mean you have to sit out the 2026 U.S. midterm elections. If you’re a American citizen or dual national who will be at least 18 years old on Election Day, you retain the full right to cast your vote from abroad.
Democrats Abroad Costa Banderas is making the process seamless by walking local expats through every step of getting their ballots in on time.
The most critical first move is requesting your absentee ballot right away, as state deadlines are approaching quickly. Even if you’ve voted from Mexico in past years, you need to register and request your ballot every single year using the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) at VoteFromAbroad.org.
The form takes only five to ten minutes, doubles as a voter registration document if you aren’t registered yet, and works best when you select the option to receive your ballot by email. Because each state sets its own rules and deadlines, you’ll want to check the specific requirements for your home state on the site before sending anything in.
Once you have your ballot, returning it as quickly as possible is essential, and choosing the right method depends heavily on where you vote.
- ELECTRONIC RETURN: If you have the option of online or email/fax return for your ballot, please do that.
- FAX: If you don’t have access to a fax machine, you can email your ballot using a service like faxzero.com, and they will convert it to a fax. There also are apps for your smartphone, such as Scanner Pro. Please see their websites for more information.
- MAIL: If you are returning your ballot to a state that requires that you use mail, you have the following options:
- You can send your ballot through the diplomatic pouch. We recommend that you send your ballot via DHL to the US embassy in Mexico City no later than September 25.
(U.S. Embassy Mexico City,
American Citizen Services,
Room 101 Voting Assistance Officer
Presa Angostura 225,
Col. Irrigación,
Alcaldía Miguel Hidalgo
Ciudad de México, Mexico, C.P. 11500).
Please review the full instructions at: mx.usembassy.gov/voting/
- If you have at least 10 days, iShop and Mail services (in the parking garage escalators at Plaza Península, Av. Francisco Medina Ascencio 2485-Loc. A8, Puerto Vallarta, Jal. and Las Palmas, Los Amores, Bucerías, Nay.) is a reliable economical alternative for usually around the equivalent of $3-$4 USD. Other iShop services include printing, scanning, and faxing.
- For 3-10 days lead time, you can use DHL, FedEx, Estafeta or other express couriers to send your ballot directly to your local election office. Note that you need an address that is other than PO Box. If you no longer have the contact information for your local election official, you can go to votefromabroad.org. The contact information is at “Your State Rules” (scroll down to “Find Your Election Office”). Do not send “signature required,” most election offices will not sign. You should ask for a postmark. The costs can range from the equivalent of $40 USD to over $80 USD.
- If you happen to be traveling to the US, you can put your ballot in a mailbox there. Be careful about giving your ballot to another individual to return it for you; in many states, there are laws about who can carry another person’s ballot.
- IN PERSON: If you choose to vote in person after requesting your ballot as an Overseas voter and prior to returning it, please call or at least email your local election official of your change in plans. Usually, they will want to affirm that you have not yet voted in that election and will advise you to destroy/delete your emailed ballot. You may be asked to print it and bring it with you and/or sign a statement that you have not mailed/will not mail your ballot.
For personal assistance in the greater Banderas Bay area, please contact Democrats Abroad Costa Banderas at Info-MX-CostaBanderas(at)democratsabroad.org, email us at votefromabroad.cb(at)gmail.com, or visit our Vote From Abroad Center Events page or on Facebook for dates and locations.
If you did not receive your ballot by September 21, please contact us for assistance or contact your local election official in the US. As always, feel free to contact us with any questions.
Related Article: Democrats Abroad Helps Voters Prepare for Midterms
Paid for by the Costa Banderas Chapter of Democrats Abroad. With country committees and local chapters in over 80 countries around the world, Democrats Abroad is the official Democratic Party organization for the millions of Americans living outside the United States. For more information about the Costa Banderas Chapter of Democrats Abroad, click HERE or contact Chapter-Chair Clint Harris at Info-MX-CostaBanderas@democratsabroad.org.
