U.S. non-resident eligible voters during the midterm election in 2022 have been estimated at 2.8 million. However the absentee ballots received (cast votes) approximated to ninety-five thousand, the equivalent of 3.4% of non-resident voters.[1] The main reason for voters abroad not casting the ballot was difficulties with the voting process,[2] but also lack of connection with U.S. policy[3] and the risk of exposure to U.S. local taxation.[4]
The Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) designates the U.S. non-resident voters with the acronym OCVAP “Overseas Citizen Voting-Age Population” that are U.S. civilians and military entitled to an absentee ballot to be sent abroad.[5] Since a single registry of U.S. non-residents does not exist, OCVAP is calculated taking the data from the Database on Immigrants in OECD Countries (DIOC) compared with IPUMS International data.[6]
As of February 2016, the FVAP publishes the Overseas Citizen Population Analysis.[7]
| Year | Election | Est. citizens abroad | Est. eligible to vote | Est. votes | Voting rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Midterm | 3,099,088 | 1,907,624 | N/a | N/a | |
| 2012 | Presidential | 3,346,920 | 2,087,843 | 136,280[9] | 5.4% | |
| 2014 | Midterm | 3,508,009 | 2,204,857 | 94,809 | 4.3% | |
| 2016 | Presidential | 3,684,898 | 2,248,832 | 206,893 | 9.2% | |
| 2018 | Midterm | 3,921,952 | 2,422,122 | 135,639 | 5.6% | |
| 2020 | Presidential | 3,991,358 | 2,489,074 | 224,017 | 9.0% | |
| 2022 | Midterm | 4,397,534 | 2,794,558 | 94,927 | 3.4% |