There are many Brazilians residing in the United States who do not know that they must be up to date with their electoral obligations.
Living outside Brazil does not exempt Brazilians from voting. Every Brazilian citizen (over 18 years old) must vote to avoid headaches in the future.
There are two groups of Brazilians residing in the United States:
– Brazilians who maintain their “electoral domicile” (voting zone) in Brazil (which are the most common). Those living abroad and still voting in Brazil can justify their absence as many times as necessary, but must not forget that failing to vote may result in the cancellation of their voter registration, leading to other problems. The justification receipt and/or proof must always be kept to avoid future issues. Voters must submit their justification 60 days after the election.
Those who do not justify must regularize their electoral situation within 30 days of returning to Brazil, attending the electoral office to regularize their status. If more than 30 days pass, the voter will have to pay a fine. Those who do not justify remain in debt with the Electoral Justice and will be subject to restrictions, such as the electoral clearance receipt (even if the registration is in “regular” status) and the renewal of their Brazilian passport, which will prevent them from traveling. If a voter fails to justify three absences, their voter registration will be canceled and deleted after 6 years from the electoral register, remembering that each round is considered an election. If the election has two rounds, the voter must justify their absence twice.
– Brazilians who transferred their registration to the electoral domicile of the nearest Brazilian consulate to their residence (see the address list at the end of this article) or to the diplomatic missions (embassies and representation offices of Brazil) in the countries where they reside, or even to the nearest diplomatic mission if there is no Brazilian diplomatic representation where the voter lives. Diplomatic missions have the duty to inform Brazilian voters of the time and place of voting.
Brazilians who have an electoral zone abroad are only required to vote in presidential elections. In this case, the justification occurs at the consulate where the electoral zone is located.
Birth and marriage certificates from Brazil will not be accepted as a single identification document due to the lack of a photograph.
Identification documents issued by U.S. government agencies and any foreign entities, even if they have a photo, will also not be accepted.
In case of name discrepancies, the voter must present additional supporting documentation (such as a divorce decree, marriage certificate, etc.).
2018 Elections:
– 1st round: October 7 (Sunday): 8 AM to 5 PM (local time)
– 2nd round (if applicable): October 28 (Sunday): 8 AM to 5 PM (local time)
Electoral Situation – Questions and Answers
Q: How can I find out if I am eligible to vote in October and if my voter registration has been transferred to New York?
A: To check your registration details and voting location (electoral domicile), just visit the Superior Electoral Court website (www.tse.jus.br/eleitor/servicos/titulode-eleitor). On the TSE page, you can verify if your registration is regular or canceled, as well as if the transfer to New York is confirmed.
Q: I don’t know my voter registration number or which polling station I should vote at. What should I do?
A: Knowing your polling station number in advance will avoid lines and speed up your voting! It’s simple! You can find both pieces of information on the Superior Electoral Court website (www.tse.jus.br/eleitor/servicos/titulode-eleitor). Voters can search by name or by voter registration number. The requested data (full name, date of birth, and mother’s name) must be filled out correctly, as they appear on the voter registration. Don’t forget to download the e-Título app on your smartphone! With it, you will have a digital version of your voter registration, allowing quick and easy access to information about your electoral situation and your polling place!
Q: Can I vote by mail or online?
A: It is not possible to vote by mail or online. Voting will be in person, in New York, using electronic voting machines, as it occurs in Brazil.
Q: Will the Consulate hold a voting drive or itinerant voting in other cities besides New York (Mount Vernon, Newark, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, etc.)?
A: No. Brazilian voters who have transferred their voter registration to the Consulate-General in New York will vote only at the address indicated by the Consulate, in New York.
Q: Can I vote in the USA with my voter registration, even if I haven’t transferred it abroad?
A: No. It is mandatory to transfer the voter registration/electoral domicile to the Consulate-General in New York to be eligible to vote here. In an election year, the activities of electoral offices (transfers, registrations, etc.) end a few months before the voting. The legal deadline established by the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) expired on May 9, and it is no longer possible to transfer the registration to New York in time to vote in October. The activities of the electoral office abroad will resume in November.
Q: I will be in New York on election day. Can I vote in transit?
A: It is not possible to register for voting in transit at the Consulate. There is also no voting in transit at the Brazilian Embassies abroad. In other words, voters domiciled in Brazil who are abroad on election days will not be able to register and will have to justify their absence later (by 12/06/2018 for absence in the first round, and by 12/27/2018 if the absence is related to the second round).
Q: What if I don’t vote? Can I justify my absence?
A: Yes, you will have to justify your absence from voting. Brazilian legislation defines that voting is mandatory for all Brazilians between 18 and 70 years old, even for those residing abroad. The justification must be requested by 12/06/2018 for absence in the first round, and by 12/27/2018 if the absence is related to the second round. Remember: in addition to paying a fine, the voter who does not vote and does not justify their absence for three consecutive rounds will have their voter registration canceled and their CPF suspended! To find out how to justify, consult: http://novayork.itamaraty.gov.br/ptbr/justificativa_eleitoral.xml.
Q: I won’t be able to attend the voting in the first round on October 7 (Sunday), but I can participate in the second round on October 28 (Sunday), if it happens. Can I justify my absence in the first round and vote only in the second?
A: Yes. You can justify your absence in the first round and vote in the second round without problems. To find out how to justify, consult: http://novayork.itamaraty.gov.br/ptbr/justificativa_eleitoral.xml.
Q: For personal reasons, I know I won’t be able to attend on voting day. How far in advance can I justify?
A: The justification can only be made after the elections, respecting the deadlines mentioned above.
Where to vote:
• California:
– Los Angeles: 8484 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 300, Beverly Hills, CA 90211
– San Francisco: City College of San Francisco Mission Campus – 1125 Valencia Street, San Francisco, CA 94110
• Utah:
– Salt Lake City – Lumos Language School, 200 E 3900 S #1 Millcreek, UT 84107
• Florida:
– Miami: Miami Dade College – Wolfson Campus, building 3, 300 NE 2nd Ave., Miami, FL 33132
– Orlando: I-Drive Nascar – AMP Group – 5228 Vanguard St., Orlando, FL 32819
• Georgia:
– Atlanta: Two Alliance Center – 3560 Lenox Road NE P4 Level, Rooms A/B/C, Atlanta, GA 30326
• Massachusetts:
– Boston: Brighton High School – 25 Warren Street, Brighton – MA 02135
– Framingham: Nevins Hall Memorial Building – 150 Concord Street, Framingham, MA 01702
– Hyannis: Barnstable High School – 744 West Main Street, Hyannis, MA 02601
– Stoughton: Stoughton Council on Aging & Youth Commission – 110 Rockland Street, Stoughton, MA 02072
• New Hampshire:
– Nashua: Elm Street Middle School – 117 Elm Street, Nashua – NH 03060
• Illinois:
– Chicago: 401 N Michigan Ave, Suite 825, Chicago, IL.
• Texas:
– Houston: Norris Conference Centers – 9990 Richmond Avenue, Suite 102, Houston, TX 77042
– Dallas: Classes annexed to the gymnasium of St. Luke’s Parish – 1023 Schulze Drive, Irving, TX 75060
• Oregon:
– Oregon State Bar – 16037 SW Upper Boones Ferry Road, Tigard, OR 97224
• Washington:
– Seattle: SpringHill Suites Hotel – Seattle Downtown – 1800 Yale Avenue, Seattle, WA 98101
• Washington D.C.:
– The Capital Hilton – 1001 16th Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20036
• Connecticut:
– Hartford: One Constitution Plaza (ground floor), Hartford, CT 06103
• New York:
– Manhattan: Julia Richman Education Complex – 300 East 68th Street, New York – NY 10065
For more information, in New York, visit: http://novayork.itamaraty.gov.br/pt-br/servicos_eleitorais.xml