As a uniformed services member, spouse, or dependent, how do I determine my legal residence address for voting purposes?

Uniformed Service personnel and their family members must meet a state's residency requirements to declare it as their legal voting residence. You must have had physical presence in the state with the intent to remain or make the state your home or domicile. Residency requirements vary by state, and can be found in our State Voting Requirements & Information directory. Select your state, and on the following page select your election location and "Eligibility Requirements." You may only have one single legal residence at a time.


Service members, your voting residence is typically the same address as the one listed on your Leave and Earnings Statement, which defines your state for withholding state taxes.


Voting age family members of active duty military personnel may each have a different legal residence. 


As a military spouse, you may retain the same residence or domicile as your service member has established, even if you have not physically been present at that address. Or you may choose to retain your established residency or domicile.


Minors typically assume the legal residence of either parent when they become 18. They also have the option of establishing their own legal residence, which can be different from either parent, assuming they have met the guidelines of physical presence and intent to remain or return. 


Please note: State of legal residence and voting residence are sometimes mistaken for home of record. While your voting residence may be the same as your home of record at the beginning of your military career, you need to update your voting residence if you change your legal residence or domicile at any point.