How to Apply to Vote Abroad for President (21st Presidential Election)

The 21st presidential election has been set for June 3, 2025, and those of you living abroad may be interested in the election. As an overseas resident, I am also planning to vote for the president. Let's talk about how to apply for an overseas presidential election.

Expatriate Presidential Re-election Application

South Korea's 21st presidential election has been set for June 3, 2025. The news is full of prominent candidates running for president, and it's a reminder that we're actually having an election.

I'll probably be out of the country on Election Day, so I'll probably be voting overseas. I just finished applying to vote overseas for President, and I was surprised at how simple it was.

Who is eligible to apply for a presidential re-election abroad?

It literally means someone who is not in the country on Election Day and has to vote for president from abroad. There are two main categories, as shown below, so check to see where you fall.

1) Expatriates

A citizen who is registered to vote in the country, but whose circumstances require them to vote abroad. In this case, the person's social security number and address on the public register are likely to be in Korea.

2) Overseas Electors

A citizen who is not a registered resident. This includes people who have been de-registered. These people are likely to only be listed in the Family Register.

In other words, you should be able to tell if you have a social security number or not.

Presidential Re-election Filing Period for Expatriates (21st President)

How to file for the 21st Presidential Election

This was my first time applying for a presidential re-election as an expatriate. To apply, click on the Election Commission HomepageThere are three types of submissions: in person, in writing (at a diplomatic mission), and by email.

I filled out an Expatriate Absentee Declaration form at the Auckland, New Zealand Consulate and emailed it to them along with my passport. Notably, you can only submit a self-submitted application via email.

If you have any further questions about applying for the New Zealand expatriate presidential election, please refer to the announcement from the New Zealand Mission in Auckland below.

For those who want to declare an overseas absentee or overseas elector by e-mail, I will paste the form below, so you can download it if you want. The embassy's website is a hwp, pdf file, but I converted it to a word file and used it.

Finalize

Today we've talked about how to apply for a presidential re-election as an expatriate, and we'll keep you updated on how it goes from here.

In New Zealand, voting is only available at the Auckland and Wellington consulates, so if you live far away, you'll need to plan ahead to vote.

If you're out of the country, the voting period is May 20-25, so make sure to remember to cast your vote.