How long do you have to live in the United States before you can vote here? You might be surprised to learn that the answer is never. People born in other countries to parents who are U.S. citizens are themselves considered U.S. citizens and may vote in U.S. elections, even if they have never set foot in the United States and never intend to.
These so-called “never resided” voters are welcome to vote absentee in all federal elections in the following states: Alaska, Arizona California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia.
The Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA), passed by Congress in 1986, allows absentee voting by members of the U.S. military and Merchant Marine, their family members, and U.S. citizens residing outside the United States.
The rule has been around for decades, but in recent years, UOCAVA voting has displayed some anomalies.
‘Even If the Residence Is Home to Other Registered Voters‘
How do never-resided voters get a ballot without possessing a U.S. address?
Application instructions advise never-resided voters to ask family members or check old records to find the last address their parents lived at. The instructions make it clear the address is used to determine your voting jurisdiction but not for sending
