Voting While Temporarily Abroad
Are you a voter temporarily abroad for at least 3 months due to study, work, or medical reasons and wish to vote by mail? Contact your municipality by May 7th.
Italian residents who are temporarily abroad for work, study, or medical reasons for a period of at least three months, during which the upcoming referendum consultations (abrogative referendums under Article 75 of the Constitution, scheduled for June 8-9, 2025) will take place, as well as their cohabiting family members, can exercise their right to vote by mail (Article 4-bis, paragraph 1, Law No. 459 of December 27, 2001).
To receive the electoral package (containing the voting ballots) at the temporary address abroad, these voters must submit a specific option to their municipality of registration in the electoral lists by Wednesday, May 7, 2025.
The option (which can be exercised using the form downloadable https://ambashgabat.esteri.it/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/250410_referendum_modello.pdf) must be sent to the municipality by mail, ordinary or certified email, or delivered in person, even by a delegate of the interested party.
The option, which must be accompanied by a copy of a valid identity document of the voter, must include the complete foreign postal address where the electoral package will be sent, as well as the indication of the competent consular office for the territory. The option must also contain a declaration attesting to the possession of the requirements for admission to vote by mail, i.e., being abroad for work, study, or medical reasons for a period of at least three months (during which the consultations will take place) in a foreign country where one is not a resident or being a cohabiting family member of a citizen in the aforementioned conditions. This procedure also applies to Italian citizens registered with AIRE who are temporarily residing in a consular district different from their permanent residence.
The option must be made pursuant to Articles 46 and 47 of the Presidential Decree of December 28, 2000, No. 445 (Consolidated Text of Legislative and Regulatory Provisions on Administrative Documentation), with awareness of the criminal consequences in case of false declarations (Article 76 of the aforementioned DPR 445/2000).
It is possible to revoke the option submitted according to the above methods by the same deadline (May 7, 2025). It is also noted that the option is valid exclusively for the electoral consultation to which it refers.
With Presidential Decrees of March 31, 2025, published in the Official Gazette on the same date, the dates for the abrogative referendums under Article 75 of the Constitution have been set for June 8 and 9, 2025.
It is reminded that voting is a RIGHT protected by the Italian Constitution and that, under Law No. 459 of December 27, 2001, Italian citizens residing abroad and registered in the electoral lists can vote by mail, receiving the electoral package at their residence address. To this end, it is recommended to check and regularize one’s personal and address information with the competent consular office, preferably using the online portal of consular services Fast It.
Alternatively, voters registered with AIRE can choose to vote in Italy at their municipality of electoral registration by communicating their choice (option) in writing to the consulate within the 10th day following the announcement of the elections. Voters who choose to vote in Italy for the upcoming referendum consultation will receive a notification card from their respective Italian municipalities to vote at polling stations in Italy. The choice (option) to vote in Italy is valid only for the referendum consultation to which it refers.
It is reiterated that in any case, the option MUST BE RECEIVED by the consular office NO LATER THAN TEN DAYS AFTER THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE ELECTIONS, i.e., by April 10, 2025. This communication can be written on plain paper and, to be valid, must include the name, surname, date and place of birth, place of residence, and signature of the voter, accompanied by a copy of the declarant’s identity document.
For this communication, the specific form downloadable from the website of the Italian Embassy in Ashgabat (https://ambashgabat.esteri.it/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/06.1-Modulo_di_opzione_Referendum_2025.doc) can also be used.
The form, duly completed, signed, and accompanied by an identity document, can be delivered or sent:
- In person: Azadi Street 139 A – Ashgabat, from 10:00 to 16:00
- By mail: Azadi Street 139 A – Ashgabat – ZIP Code 744000
- By ordinary email: ashgabat.visti@esteri.it
- By certified email: amb.ashgabat@cert.esteri.it
As prescribed by current regulations, it is the responsibility of voters to verify that the option communication sent by mail has been received in time by their consular office. Requests received after the above deadline CANNOT be considered valid.
The choice to vote in Italy can subsequently be REVOKED with a written communication to be sent or delivered to the consular office using the same methods and within the same deadline provided for exercising the option.
If one chooses to return to Italy to vote, the law does NOT provide any reimbursement for travel expenses incurred, but only tariff reductions within Italian territory.
THE CONSULAR OFFICE IS AVAILABLE FOR ANY FURTHER CLARIFICATION.
April 1, 2025.