Can a dual citizen vote in US presidential elections?

1. Citizenship is the decisive factor—dual status is not

U.S. voting eligibility for federal elections turns on U.S. citizenship, not exclusive citizenship; federal guidance and voter-focused organizations uniformly state that U.S. citizens who also hold another nationality retain their right to vote in U.S. elections ^{[1] [2] [4]}. The U.S. Embassy guidance reinforces that dual nationality “has no effect on your rights or your responsibilities as a U.S. [citizen],” and that acts like voting in a foreign election do not automatically strip U.S. citizenship ^[5].

2. Practical requirements: registration, age, and state rules

Holding dual citizenship does not remove the ordinary prerequisites: a voter must register where required, be at least 18 on election day, and satisfy state-specific rules such as proof-of-citizenship requirements or residency-based eligibility; organizations advising overseas voters stress completing registration and absentee/overseas ballot requests early ^{[3] [2] [4]}. State variations matter: some rules about born-abroad citizens, residency ties, or evidence required at the polls differ from state to state, and eligibility can hinge on which state is considered the voter’s domicile ^{[3] [1]}.

3. Voting from abroad: UOCAVA and absentee pathways

Dual nationals living outside the United States can generally vote in federal elections via absentee ballot under laws like the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA), which instructs states to accept ballot requests from U.S. citizens abroad and to treat many overseas voters as if they still resided at their last U.S. address ^{[1] [4]}. Resources oriented to expatriate voters explicitly affirm that dual citizenship does not block overseas voting and encourage using the Federal Post Card Application or other state procedures to receive ballots ^{[2] [4]}.

4. Limits and caveats: felony disenfranchisement, double voting, and foreign law

Dual citizenship does not immunize a person from ordinary disqualifiers: many states restrict voting for people convicted of certain crimes or currently incarcerated, and those restrictions can remove eligibility regardless of dual status ^[1]. It is illegal to try to vote more than once in the same U.S. election (for example by attempting to claim residency in two states) — the principle that one person gets one vote remains and has been noted in public discussion of residency and voting rights ^[6]. Additionally, the other country of citizenship may impose its own rules or expectations (such as passport use on entry), but those rules do not inherently negate U.S. voting rights ^[5].

5. Common misconceptions and political narratives

Some reporting and political rhetoric conflate dual citizenship with divided loyalty or ineligibility to participate in U.S. civic life, but official electoral guidance and embassy materials counter that narrative: dual nationals retain U.S. voting rights and are encouraged to register and vote if eligible ^{[7] [5]}. Conversely, matters that genuinely affect eligibility—residency, registration, state law, criminal status—are technical and vary by jurisdiction, so blanket claims that “dual citizens cannot vote” are incorrect and often stem from misunderstanding rather than law ^{[3] [1]}.

6. Bottom line and where to get authoritative help

The bottom line is straightforward: if a person is a U.S. citizen and meets the regular eligibility conditions, they may vote in U.S. presidential elections whether or not they hold another citizenship, and they may do so from abroad through established absentee procedures; for case-specific questions about state rules, born-abroad scenarios, or felony status, official state election websites, vote.gov, or the Department of State’s overseas voting pages are the authoritative next steps ^{[1] [3] [4]}.