KUWAIT: The US Embassy in Kuwait sent the following reminder to US citizens residing in the country, regarding the US mid-term elections:

There are only 51 days remaining before the US mid-term elections on November 6. Your vote counts, so register and vote absentee soon! Did you know that many US elections for House and Senate seats have been decided by a margin smaller than the number of ballots cast by absentee voters? All states are required to count every absentee ballot as long as it is valid and reaches local election officials by the absentee ballot receipt deadline.

Drop off Your Completed Ballot at the Embassy: If you would like assistance in mailing your ballot to your state, the US Embassy in Kuwait is hosting a Voting Open House for US citizens to drop off their ballots on October 11, from 12:00pm - 4:00pm. Come to the Embassy with your completed ballot and US passport as ID, no appointment necessary. If you cannot come on October 11, you can always book an appointment to drop off your ballot (see below), but all ballots must be given to the Embassy no later than October 15 if you would like us to help you mail your ballot to your state or local elections official.

Follow a few simple steps to make sure that you can vote in the 2018 US elections:

1. Request Your Ballot: Complete a new Federal Post Card Application (FPCA). You must complete a new FPCA after January 1, 2018 to ensure you receive your ballot for the 2018 elections. The completion of the FPCA allows you to request absentee ballots for all elections for Federal offices (President, US Senate, and US House of Representatives) including primaries and special elections during the calendar year in which it is submitted. The FPCA is accepted by all local election officials in all US states and territories.

You can complete the FPCA online at www.FVAP.gov. The online voting assistant will ask you questions specific to your state. We encourage you to ask your local election officials to deliver your blank ballots to you electronically (by email, internet download, or fax, depending on your state). Include your email address on your FPCA to take advantage of the electronic ballot delivery option. Return the FPCA per the instructions on the website. FVAP.gov will tell you if your state allows the FPCA to be returned electronically or if you must submit a paper copy with original signature. If you must return a paper version, please see below for mailing options.

2. Receive and Complete Your Ballot: States are required to send out ballots 45 days before a regular election for Federal office and states generally send out ballots at least 30 days before primary elections. For most states, you can confirm your registration and ballot delivery online.

3. Return Your Completed Ballot: Some states allow you to return your completed ballot by email or fax. If your state requires you to return paper voting forms or ballots to local election officials, you can use international mail, a courier service such as FedEx or DHL, or you may also drop off completed voting materials during our October 11 Voting Open House or during regular business hours at the US Embassy in Kuwait by appointment. Place your materials in an unsealed postage paid return envelope (available under "Downloadable Election Materials" on the FVAP homepage) or in an unsealed envelope bearing sufficient domestic US postage, and address it to the relevant local election officials. The ballot must be in an unsealed envelop, for security reasons we cannot accept sealed envelopes, but you will seal the envelope in front of a Consular Officer. You can drop off your ballots at Embassy Kuwait on Sunday or Tuesday from 1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. by appointment. Please sign up for a "notary service" appointment.

4. New this year - email to fax service by FVAP! - the Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) will provide an email-to-fax conversion service for voters who have difficulty sending election materials to states that do not accept emailed documents. Get more information here.

Researching the Candidates and Issues: Online Resources. Check out the FVAP links page for helpful resources that will aid your research of candidates and issues. Non-partisan information about candidates, their voting records, and their positions on issues are widely available and easy to obtain online. You can also read national and hometown newspapers online, or search the internet to locate articles and information. For information about election dates and deadlines, subscribe to FVAP's Voting Alerts ([email protected]). FVAP also shares Voting Alerts via Facebook and Twitter.

Learn more at the Federal Voting Assistance Program's (FVAP) website, FVAP.gov. If you have any questions about registering to vote overseas, please contact Embassy Kuwait's Voting Assistance Officer at [email protected]. Remember, your vote counts! Be absent but accounted for!

For further information:

* Visit the State Department's travel website for Worldwide Caution, Travel Alerts, and Kuwait's Country Specific Information.

* Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive security messages and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.

* Contact the US Embassy in Kuwait at 00-(965) 2259-1001 or 00-(965) 2538-6562 or by fax: 00-(965) 2538-0282.

* Call 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States and Canada or 1-202-501-4444 from other countries from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday (except US federal holidays).

* Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.