Press Release: Expatfile partners with the Center for U.S. Voters Abroad
January 8, 2024
Expatfile Partners with the Center for U.S. Voters Abroad to Promote Civic Participation and Boost Voter Turnout among Americans Abroad.
Expatfile is partnering with the Center for U.S. Voters Abroad (CUVA), a U.S. based non-profit supporting American voters living outside of the U.S. For years, Expatfile has made it easy for Americans to file their taxes from abroad. This nonpartisan collaboration will make it easy for Americans to vote from abroad in a critical year for U.S. democracy
Registration begins now for those who want to vote in the February 2024 presidential primaries or November 2024 general elections, when Americans will vote for their next president, as well as their Senate and House of Representatives. Expatfile users can start and complete this entire process in 5-7 minutes via the Center for US Voters Abroad’s free online registration platform.
In addition, Expatfile users who want to talk to friends, family, and colleagues about voting from abroad can be compensated for their time by the Center for US Voters Abroad through its Ballots Beyond Borders program.
Why is this important
The U.S. government estimates there are 2.9 million adult U.S. civilians living overseas who are eligible to vote from abroad (1). In two recent elections of U.S. Senators, enough overseas voters cast ballots to change the outcome. The overseas voter population is larger than 13 other states, including New Mexico, Nebraska, and Idaho. Meanwhile, this electorate is likely to grow in coming years as an additional 1.9 million US youth living abroad turn 18 and the global economy continues adjusting to remote work, with digital nomad visas issued by 43 countries and counting.
Yet overseas Americans may be among the most underrepresented and least well-understood universes of U.S. voters (2). In 2020’s presidential election, the overseas turnout was just 7.8%, compared to 68% domestically. And in the 2022 midterms, the overseas turnout was 3.4%, a decline from 2018. Meanwhile, domestic turnout was fifteen times higher, at 52%, not only an increase from 2018, but also the second highest for midterms in the country’s history since 2000.
A 2019 Pew Research asked Americans what it means to be a good citizen. The top two most common answers: voting and paying taxes, cited by over 74% and 71% of respondents (3). This partnership aims to ensure that eligible Expatfile users have access to relevant information about their right to vote from abroad and are able to do so quickly and easily. The long-term vision is to make civic engagement universally accessible for Americans, no matter where they are in the world, by building best-in-class global infrastructure for overseas registration and voting. The Center for US Voters Abroad believes that an American’s decision to travel and live abroad should not come at the cost of their ability to contribute to their country’s democratic system.
"We are thrilled to partner with the Center for US Voters Abroad to empower American voters and encourage their active participation in U.S. elections," said Expatfile's CEO. "As a company that is dedicated to simplifying the tax filing process for expats, we recognize the importance of civic engagement and the need to make voting accessible and convenient for all Americans, regardless of where they are."
CUVA’s CEO added, "We are excited to collaborate with Expatfile to increase awareness of the right of US citizens over 18 to vote from abroad, and to provide Expatfile customers who are eligible voters with free tools and services. This partnership will streamline the process of absentee ballot requests for American expats, and help them exercise their right to vote in U.S. elections."
About Expatfile & the Center for US Voters Abroad
About Expatfile: Expatfile is a leading American expat tax filing software company, dedicated to simplifying the tax filing process for U.S. citizens living abroad. With their user-friendly software, expats can e-file their taxes accurately and efficiently, ensuring compliance with U.S. tax laws while maximizing their tax savings.
The Center for US Voters Abroad is administered by Act Now, a nonprofit that leverages a Silicon Valley approach to building innovative, user-friendly, and data-driven solutions for today’s pressing problems. The Act Now team consists of passionate problem solvers from different backgrounds, brought together by the belief that accurate, accessible, and actionable information is critical for helping leaders and individuals make decisions and take actions that have a positive impact.
Sources:
1. The overseas civilian vote consists of voluntary migrants (“expats”), those working abroad, students studying abroad, dual citizens, and all other US citizens living outside of the US who are not active duty military or the spouses or dependents of military personnel.
2. State of the Overseas Voter, FVAP: https://www.fvap.gov/info/reports-surveys/overseas-citizen-population-analysis
3. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2019/07/02/what-makes-a-good-citizen-voting-paying-taxes-following-the-law-top-list/