Overseas/Abroad

U.S. citizens carry their right to vote with them wherever they are in the world. In this 'Overseas Voters' category of stories, we highlight selected voting experiences of overseas voters. What emerges is a remarkable sense of connection to country, regardless of where these voters find themselves, and despite any length of time away.

Here you will find answers to core questions, such as the eligibility of U.S. citizens born overseas, voting from military conflict zones, participating as a permanent overseas resident, and the ability to vote from abroad without maintaining a U.S. address.

We invite you to read these various stories of situations where overseas voters ensured that their voices were heard through their votes - despite geographical distance. Through these experiences you will gain a deeper understanding of how American citizens—no matter where they live—can continue to participate in the franchise.

Can I Vote if I’m Living Abroad Indefinitely?

Kim Kistler

Kim Kistler

You don't have to know your travel or residency plans to be able to vote from abroad. As an American citizen, your right to vote travels with you. Kim Kistler will show you how she votes from abroad without a plan to return to the United States.

Voting from Abroad Permanently/Indefinitely

American voters who live and work abroad do not fit into one mold. Some voters bring an active civic life with them, while others discover civic engagement once they move overseas. Some intend to live abroad temporarily, while others live overseas with no intention to return to the U.S.

Can overseas voters continue to vote, election after election, year after year, even if they are living abroad indefinitely? Yes, Americans living abroad with no plan to return to the U.S. may continue to vote in US elections.

Meet Kim Kistler - Overseas Voter

Kim Kistler is an inspiration to Americans living abroad for so many reasons it is hard to list. She moved overseas in 1969 as a student, and became a successful entrepreneur, creating Lesehund - a program that brings dogs into primary schools to help children improve their reading skills. In addition, Kim works as a teacher and musician. Kim has two American - Austrian dual citizen children who were born overseas, and who now also vote.

In her conversation with U.S. Vote Foundation (US Vote), Kim discusses how American citizens living abroad with no plan to return to the U.S. may continue to vote in U.S. elections, and how their American children born overseas might also be eligible to vote.

US.VOTE

Kim, please tell us about yourself, what brought you overseas and what you do to sustain yourself.
 

Kim Kistler

What brought me overseas was the opportunity to study, plus my great desire and love for Austria and The Spanish Riding School, and skiing. I was studying Art and Music at the California Institute of the Arts when I was accepted to Wagner College and moved to Bregenz, Austria near Lake Constance, which was absolutely beautiful.

Within 5 weeks, I met the man of my life and the father of my two children. Marriage took me to post-war 70’s Frankfurt, Germany, with lots of ruins still around. After having grown up in Los Angeles with all the luxuries, Cadillacs and Porsches and swimming pools, I thought it was cool. Suddenly, here I was in Europe taking the bus and train to get to the Music Conservatory. I have my BA in History from the University of Maryland, and attended both Frankfurt University and the Ludwig Maximilian University.

Over 10 years, I was the entrepreneur of a synagogue project, the most important project of my life (next to helping to rescue a palace outside of Weimar, Schloss Ettersburg). Anyway, I became steeped in Jewish history. When I went to Israel on a concert tour, I met the next great love of my life, who brought me to Munich.
 
Fast forward to a highly practical study specializing in animals. I had an animal practice in Munich for 20 years. This led me to my latest adventure: “dog reading.” In German, I called it “Lesehund.” It’s an organization that is growing by leaps and bounds with a lot of media interest, and as long as I can manage it, I'm fine. We now have seven Lesehund centers in Germany, a few teams in Holland and Austria, and one in Luxembourg and Switzerland. Altogether it’s about 150 teams around the world.

US.VOTE

Could tell me a little bit about your voting experience overall, and which state you vote in?
 

Kim Kistler

I vote in California; I'm from LA. It’s easy. But, I have to finance the stamps to send it. That's the only inconvenience. Despite that inconvenience, it’s so very important to me.
 

US.VOTE

How soon after you arrived overseas did you start voting from abroad?
 

Kim Kistler

It must have been around the early 1980s. Long after I arrived in 1969.
 
I waited because I was so disinterested in American politics. I was getting Time magazine every week, and I just thought, “What a bunch of bozos,” you know, and so I just ignored it. But then, one time I thought, “Well, why don't I try it?” And so I registered and I did vote for something that was called, “peace and freedom.” And I thought, oh, that sounds good I want peace and freedom, so I'll vote. That was my first vote.
 
The next occasion came up on the heels of 2001 when the twin towers fell. I started to really read American newspapers because we were all shocked from 9/11. When I came back from the experience of 9/11 in America, I came upon an American expat group in Munich, and they were having meetings and I needed something. I needed to hold on to my country somehow. The meetings were fantastic and it was fun, and eventually I got involved in the election in 2004.

US.VOTE

So you learned in a group that you could cast your ballot as an absentee overseas voter?
 
 

Kim Kistler

Yes, everything had changed by then. The process had been modernized. Somehow you knew you could do it. You were eligible to vote, you could apply. I started helping to register overseas voters. It was so much fun to get to know my fellow countrymen this way, those who were in Munich.
 

US.VOTE

Could you explain the process of voting from overseas? Is there something you need to do annually? 
 

Kim Kistler

I don't have to register or request my ballot anymore, because it just comes automatically with all the voting material. 

US.VOTE

So California understands that you're a long-term overseas voter, and they don't expect you to send in a new registration form every year? They know you’re overseas indefinitely, and send your ballot for every election?
 

Kim Kistler

Yes, automatically.

US.VOTE

How do you research what's on the ballot and decide how to vote?
 

Kim Kistler

I just Google the people. They get all the information for the issues directly. I go through all of it. It interests me very much, and I'm trying to steer my state and my country as best as I can.

US.VOTE

So it sounds to me like you feel very engaged with the U.S. despite the distance.

Kim Kistler

I am definitely informed on American policy. After 9/11, I became a real news junkie. Podcasts are my main source now. I consider myself an informed voter. 

US.VOTE

What does it feel like to live and vote from abroad?  

Kim Kistler

It feels very much like an honor to be able to vote.

US.VOTE

You have children that were born abroad. Are they dual citizens?
 

Kim Kistler

Yes, they are both dual citizens, Austrian and American. One is overseas, and one is in the U.S. They both vote in U.S. elections.

US.VOTE

Did you inspire them to vote?

Kim Kistler

I don't really need to. They feel very much like I do that it's a privilege to be living here and be able to vote. They take it seriously. My daughter uses my home address in Los Angeles as her voting residence address. And that functions perfectly. 

US.VOTE

Any last words about being an American living abroad?

Kim Kistler

I think it goes without saying that we represent our country, whether we want to or not. Any encounter that a foreigner may have with us could become something generalized that they apply to other Americans they meet. I've become more and more friendly to people here. That’s the feeling that I want to show; I want to project friendliness–an openness to anybody else who is friendly.
 

If you are an eligible American citizen living abroad like Kim Kistler and her family, you would be well served by a US Vote Voter Account. Your secure voter account will enable you to generate forms to vote for each election and even help you keep track of dates and deadlines for overseas deadlines. If your US voting residence state changes voting laws, you'll stay current and never miss out on an election. 

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