Absentee Voting and the Future of Political Voice in the Freely Associated States

By Caroline Adams Micronesian Stick Chart Institute

We find ourselves at a watershed moment in the electoral landscape of the Freely Associated States (FAS): the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau. Our nations are approaching a 50/50 split between those who remain at home and those who live abroad.

The drivers of this out-migration are well known: education, employment, and, for some, healthcare. Many young adults leave to pursue higher education or to find jobs that are scarce at home. Others seek specialized medical care for chronic conditions or disabilities for themselves or a loved one. Private sector growth in the islands has not kept pace with the demand for work, leaving opportunities limited. As a result, migration disproportionately draws away the young and working-aged—the very generation that would otherwise sustain domestic economic and political life.

This reality complicates questions of representation. Across the FAS, absentee voting - more formally referred to as external (out-of-country) voting - has proven decisive (and divisive) in close elections. When those ballot results swing in ways contrary to in-country voters’ preferences, resentment grows. Islanders at home ask why those no longer living the daily realities of island life should have the power to determine outcomes. Calls to abolish absentee voting altogether tend to follow such moments of dissonance, sharpening a divide between “those who stayed” and “those who left.”

But is this truly an either-or choice? Must the FAS either allow all absentee voting or none at all? Or might there be space for more nuanced solutions that preserve diaspora inclusion while addressing legitimate concerns about awareness, accountability, and fairness?

Current State of Absentee Voting

The FSM permits absentee voting by mail and operates special polling places in Guam and Honolulu, along with “travel polling” teams to reach voters away from their precincts.

Palau allows absentee voting by mail and even runs overseas polling stations on the Saturday before elections. In 2024, more than 2,200 Palauans abroad voted—evidence of how central this mechanism has become. (With a population of approximately 21,000, this constitutes 1/10th of Palau’s population.)

RMI experienced a dramatic reversal. In 2016, lawmakers eliminated postal absentee ballots. However, in 2019, RMI’s Supreme Court declared that move unconstitutional. Since 2020, postal absentee voting has been restored, but participation rates have remained low due to logistical challenges, including late arrivals and outdated voter rolls.

Capacity and Legitimacy Challenges

Even when absentee voting is legally protected, delivering it fairly remains a formidable challenge across the FAS. Election offices in FSM, RMI, and Palau operate with limited budgets, minimal staffing, and the geographic complexities of remote small-island jurisdictions. Ensuring chain-of-custody, preventing duplication, and verifying returned ballots demands administrative systems that are often a challenge to current institutional capacity.

These limitations risk both accuracy and public confidence. Instances of delayed delivery, incomplete verification, or procedural errors, while not necessarily fraudulent, can lead islanders to perceive the system as unfair. As the diaspora grows and more ballots originate from afar, the strain on election infrastructure intensifies, potentially inflaming community trust even in the absence of malfeasance.

Dual Citizenship: Another Layer of Complexity

Any consideration of absentee voting in the FAS must also consider the growing number of citizens who hold dual nationality. This is particularly common among children of migrants born in the United States or its territories, who often inherit FAS citizenship through descent while also holding U.S. citizenship by birth.

Should dual citizens retain full absentee voting rights, even if they have stronger ties abroad? Some argue dual citizens are less invested in domestic realities; others counter that they remain part of extended families, send remittances, and will shape the long-term transnational identity of the FAS. Whichever perspective one takes, the reality of dual citizenship adds yet another layer of complexity to designing fair, inclusive, and legitimate systems of representation.

What Others Tried: Comparative Methods (Successes and Failures)

Small island and diaspora-rich countries have experimented with a spectrum of models - some inclusive, some restrictive, many hybrid.

·       Cabo Verde reserves six seats in its legislature for diaspora voters, capping influence but ensuring voice.

·       Fiji allows overseas voting with pre-registration and strict timelines.

·       France reserves 11 seats for expats and has used e-voting, suspending it in 2017 for cybersecurity risks before reintroducing it securely by 2024.

·       Italy reserves 12 parliamentary seats for citizens abroad, formalizing diaspora influence.

·       Samoa requires citizens abroad to return home to vote, tying the franchise tightly to residency.

·       Malta does not allow absentee voting but has subsidized flights for citizens abroad to return and cast ballots.

When Absentee Voting Was Discontinued (What Happened Next)

When the Marshall Islands eliminated postal absentee voting in 2016, the 2019 elections still proceeded without postal ballots, excluding thousands abroad. By 2020, postal voting was restored, though the episode highlighted the risks of disenfranchising large groups.

The Cook Islands abolished an “overseas seat” in 2003, citing low participation and cost, but at the price of diaspora representation (nearly 88 percent of Cook Islanders live abroad, with an on-island to off-island ratio of roughly 1:7).

The Costs of Disenfranchising Nearly Half a Population

To disenfranchise a citizen is to deny them the right to vote or to restrict their ability to exercise that right. In the context of the FAS, this would mean preventing large numbers of overseas citizens from participating in elections, effectively silencing their political voice.

If the FAS were to abolish absentee voting, the consequences would be far-reaching: legitimacy risks, generational bias, weaker bonds, and narrower policy debates that ignore diaspora realities.

Conclusion: Beyond Quick Fixes

The debate over absentee voting in the Freely Associated States is not a simple question of yes or no. It touches on migration, demographics, legitimacy, and the complication of dual citizenship. Other countries’ experiences show multiple pathways, each with trade-offs. What the FAS governments need most is not a hasty solution but rigorous research and open dialogue.

Policymakers should carefully examine the spectrum of options and weigh the likely outcomes of each. Absentee voting is only one part of a larger conversation about citizenship and representation in the FAS.

What is essential is a deliberate process that anticipates consequences, learns from comparative experience, and ensures that whatever path is chosen reflects both the values and the evolving realities of island societies at home and across the diaspora.

References

Ace Project. (2003). Cook Islands: Overseas constituency abolished. Electoral Knowledge Network. Retrieved from https://aceproject.org

Cabo Verde National Assembly. (n.d.). Constitution of the Republic of Cabo Verde. Praia, CV.

Government of Fiji. (2013). Fiji Electoral Decree 2013. Suva: Government Printer.

Government of the Federated States of Micronesia. (2005). Public Law No. 14-76, as amended by Public Law No. 14-98 (National Election Code). Palikir, FSM.

Government of the Republic of Palau. (n.d.). Title 23: Elections, Palau National Code. Koror, Palau.

International IDEA. (2023). Voting from abroad database. Stockholm: International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance. Retrieved from https://www.idea.int

Island Times. (2024, October 23). Palau’s absentee ballot requests surge as deadline closes. Retrieved from https://islandtimes.org

RNZ News. (2019, October 10). Marshall Islands absentee voters lose emergency motion. Radio New Zealand International. Retrieved from https://www.rnz.co.nz

Supreme Court of the Republic of the Marshall Islands. (2019). Muller v. Republic of the Marshall Islands, 2019 RMI SC 17. Majuro, Marshall Islands.

Samoa Electoral Commission. (2020). Electoral Amendment Act 2020. Apia, Samoa.

World Bank. (2023). Population data: Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Republic of Palau. Washington, DC: The World Bank.

U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO). (2020). Compacts of Free Association: Populations in U.S. Areas Have Grown, with Varying Reported Effects. Washington, DC: GAO-20-491.

U.S. Congressional Research Service (CRS). (2024). The Freely Associated States and U.S. Policy: Issues for Congress. Washington, DC: R47462.