Federal law requires states to provide military and overseas citizens with special procedures to help facilitate voter registration and absentee voting by these citizens. The Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) covers:

• A Member of the Uniformed Services on Active Duty (UOCAVA)
• A Merchant Marine (UOCAVA)
• A Spouse or Dependent of a member of the Uniformed Services or Merchant Marine (UOCAVA)
• A U. S. Citizen Permanently Residing Outside the United States (UOCAVA)
• A U. S. Citizen Temporarily Residing outside the United States (UOCAVA)

EVAT allows UOCAVA voters to access, mark, and print their ballots. The ballot must then be returned to the voter's county voter registration office by mail, fax, or email. EVAT also allows citizens who have not already submitted their Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) to upload their FPCA to become a UOCAVA voter. EVAT reduces the time it takes UOCAVA voters to vote by eliminating the step of the county voter registration office sending the voter a ballot. Using EVAT, the voter can access the ballot online, mark it, and print it for return to the county voter registration office. Click here to access EVAT and begin the absentee process immediately.

Military and overseas citizens can use the FPCA to register to vote and to request an absentee ballot. Visit the Federal Voting Assistance Program's (FVAP) South Carolina-specific page. Once the FPCA is submitted and processed, the voter is tagged as a UOCAVA voter. This designation lasts until the end of the calendar year it was submitted.

Military and overseas citizens can send and receive voting materials by fax and email. If you wish to use the fax or email options, you must indicate this on your FPCA. Instructions for doing so are found on the FVAP's South Carolina-specific page.

Federal law requires absentee ballots to be sent to military and overseas citizens at least forty-five (45) days prior to an election.

Military and overseas citizens can use the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB) if they are concerned with receiving their printed ballot and returning it by the 7:00 p.m., election day deadline. The FWAB is a blank ballot on which voters write-in their choices. The FWAB may also be used to register to vote and to apply for the absentee ballot, all in one step. If the FWAB is being used to register to vote, it must be received by the voter registration deadline. For specific instructions, visit the Federal Voting Assistance Program's South Carolina-specific page.

For general information on voter registration and absentee voting by military & overseas citizens visit the Federal Voting Assistance Program's website.